Regina's Second Chance
by EvilQueenRegina
Summary: What if when Cora died she made one last wish? A wish for her daughter to have a second chance. When Cora dies and her wish comes true the Charming's, Emma and everyone else in town find themselves faced with a three year old Regina and no way of changing her back. Can they give her the second chance Cora wished for? Will later probably involve some Outlaw Queen, I have plans!
1. Chapter 1

Regina looked down at the heart that lay beating in the red wooden box. Her mother's heart. If she gave this back to her would everything be better? Would she finally feel the love that she has always wanted? She had no idea.

"Regina you need to do it. Give your mother her heart back. She can't love you without it Regina." Snow said. All she wanted was to make Regina see sense and to make all the fighting stop. It needed to stop and Snow knew if Cora had her heart she would stop leading Regina back down the dark path she was headed. "That's why you have felt she has never loved you Regina." Snow said as she moved round to the front of Regina.

Regina just continued to stare down into the box. Her mother's heart was black as coal with the tiniest red spots. It was worse off than her heart and she never thought she would see one worse than hers. But she so desperately wanted her mother to love her. She wanted to feel what everyone else seemed to feel from their mother. She wanted to have what she had always dreamed of. But what if it didn't work? "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to convince me to do this?" Regina asked, looking up and frowning at Snow.

They were long time enemies, why would this young woman want to help her? After everything she had done and put her through. Why would she try and give her another chance? Another chance to have a good life. "Regina think about it…what would happen if Cora had her heart back?"

"She told me she took her heart out to protect herself." Regina said quietly.

"Did it work? The person she was before, when she had her heart, do you think that person is her now? She can't love Regina. So she can't love you." Snow said. She then stepped forwards slightly and placed a hand on Regina's arm.

Regina tried her hardest to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Of course she knew that without her heart her mother couldn't really love her. Of course she had known that but it was something she had chosen to ignore. Something she had denied. She had spent so long trying to convince herself that even though her mother didn't have her heart, she did love her. She did what was best. Regina looked back up at Snow and shook her head slightly. "She always wanted the best for me. That is love." She swallowed back the tears. She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Snow or herself of what she had just said.

"Imagine real love." Snow said in a kind of whisper. "You'd have a mother and a start on making a family that Henry could be a part of." Snow said knowing mentioning Henry would really get Regina's attention. "A second chance Regina." Snow said squeezing Regina's arm slightly.

Regina stared down at the heart thinking over everything. A second chance, she had wanted one for so long. To start a new. She could have the family she had dreamed for Henry to be a part of. He could have a loving grandmother, she could have a loving mother. There was only one thing for her to do.

* * *

><p>Cora stood over Rumplestiltskin, his dagger in hand. She was ready. She was ready to become the dark one and have all the power she had always dreamed of. This was what she wanted. She smirked and as she went to lower her hand and driving the dagger into Rumplestiltskin she froze. She gasped. All the air left her lungs. She felt so much pressure.<p>

The dagger slipped from her fingers and fell, clattering to the floor and she stumbled back slightly her hands clutching her chest and trying to get her breath back. She looked around her and suddenly her eyes landed on one person in the room. The only person she wanted to see and she didn't even really know it.

Regina stood in front of Cora watching her with a worried look on her face. She wasn't sure if her mother was okay. Had she hurt her? But then Cora looked up at Regina and a big smile formed on her face as she looked into her daughter's eyes and felt a whole rush of love run through her.

"Mother." Regina said with a smile on her face. She watched as her mother just stared at her with a huge smile on her face and then Cora began to move towards Regina.

She stood in front of her and placed a hand on Regina's cheek and for the first time in a long time Regina did not flinch at her mother's touch. Instead she leaned into it resting her cheek against her mother's warm hand. She felt the warmth run through her body at her mother's loving contact. This was how it was meant to be. This was how she was meant to feel with her mother. "Regina…my baby." Her mother said and Regina smiled at that.

The two women were so caught up in what was happening between them that they didn't see Rumplestiltskin was no longer injured and was moving off of the bed. He picked up his dagger and stood just to the side of Cora. He needed to do this. Regina would thank him one day and with that he held the dagger up and plunged it into Cora's back and straight to her heart. She gasped as she felt the dagger enter her and pulled away from Regina slightly.

Regina frowned and moved towards Cora. "Mother. What's going on?" she looked around and it was then she realised what had happened, being so caught up in her loving mother she had not even seen Rumplestiltskin with his dagger. Cora fell forward into Regina's arms and Regina fell to her knees holding onto her mother tightly. "Mother…" Regina cried slightly as she stared down at Cora.

Cora stared up into her daughters big brown eyes, her love for her finally coming out. "This would have been enough." She stumbled her words out trying to find her breath. "You…you would have been enough." A tear fell from Cora's eye as she finally realised all the power she had been chasing was not what she would have wanted if she had kept her heart. If she had had her heart her daughter would have been everything she ever needed. She would not have needed anything else.

"Mother…" Regina said letting her tears flow now. She couldn't hold them back.

"I wish…I could have given…you the life…you deserve Regina." Cora stuttered. "I wish…you…you could have a second chance…to be you…" And with that Cora's eyes fluttered shut as she took her last breath and her body went limp.

"Mother…" Regina whispered as she stared down at Cora. She then looked up at Rumplestiltskin. "What's going on?" She cried. She couldn't lose her mother. Not now. She looked back down at her mother letting more tears flow down her face. "Don't leave me please." She cried and she hugged her mother closer to her, holding her tightly.

Rumplestiltskin watched on, trying to bury the guilt down as he watched the woman clinging to her mother and crying. He watched as she pulled her mother closer to her a tear fell from her cheek and onto her mothers. Then bright lights began to sparkle around Regina and Rumplestiltskin frowned. Snow, Charming, Emma and Bae ran into the room and gasped at the sight in front of them.

"What's going on?" Snow asked.

Nobody answered as the lights moved around Regina going faster and faster, growing bigger and bigger until she was completely surrounded her blocking her from everybody's vision. They held their arms up to shield their eyes from the brightness of the lights. They waited for a moment as they heard a small thud and all of a sudden there was no bright lights. Everything was back to the dull lights of Gold's shop. They moved their arms away from their faces and they all gasped at the sight before them.

There was Cora lying on the floor and beside her in the place of Regina was a little girl. A little girl with shoulder length dark brown hair with a gentle curl. Her face was hidden in her hands. Everyone looked around at one another as if to question one another about what had happened. They then looked up at Gold who was just staring down at the little girl wearing a black dress on the floor.

"What the hell has happened?" Emma asked quietly breaking the silence that had taken over the room. "Where has Regina gone?" She dropped her voice to a whisper.

Snow shrugged her shoulders and pulled out of David's grip. She slowly walked over to the little girl on the floor, moving Cora's body slightly she crouched down in front of her and gently placed a hand on the little girls upper arm. The little girl gasps and flinches away from the touch and Snow turns to look round at everybody else who motion for her to continue. She turns back round and looks down. _Surely this isn't…It couldn't be Regina… _"It's okay sweetie." Snow says softly. "I'm not going to hurt you." She watches as the little girl moves her face from her hands slightly and looks up at her and as Snow looks into the big brown eyes of the little girl she knows right there and then that this small little girl is Regina. _But how can this be possible? What happened? _She was very aware of Cora's dead body behind her and she didn't want a little Regina seeing that so she moved forward a little blocking the girls view a little more. "Can I take you through to the other room sweetie? And we can talk."

The little girl looked up at the young woman in front of her. She didn't know any of the people that were staring at her. She was scared. She wanted her mommy of her daddy. She needed them to help her. "I…" She started and then stopped. looking down at her little hands.

"Go on sweetie. What were you going to say?" Snow asked her softly giving her a little smile hoping to make her feel more comfortable than she was.

"I not 'pose to talk to strangers." the little girl said quietly looking up at Snow.

Snow smiled at her and then leaned forward moving a big of the girl hair away from her face. "Okay…well how about I tell you my name and then you tell me yours? Then we won't be strangers."

The girl put on a very cute thinking face, consisting of a small frown and pouted lips and then nodded her head and flashed a little smile. "Okay." she nodded.

"I'm called Snow. What's your name?"

"My name called Regina."

Snow laughed a little at how the girl introduced herself. "Well it's nice to meet you Regina. See we're not strangers any more are we?" Regina shook her little head, making her hair fly about her face. "Now why don't we go into the other room? Come on." Snow said. She leaned forward and picked Regina up, smiling as Regina was more than happy to let her pick her up. Snow shielded Regina's eyes as they left the room and David, Emma, Bae and Gold all followed her wanting to find out what had happened. Gold placed a blanket over Cora before he left the room knowing he would have to deal with her later.

They all entered the main part of Gold's shop and Gold limped over to the door and placed the sign round to display he was closed. He then limped over to see Snow gently setting Regina to sit on the counter. Nobody could stop looking at little Regina, all wondering what had happened.

Bae was the first to speak. "So…this is Regina?" He questioned still trying to work his head round what he had seen.

Snow nodded her head. "It appears so. But I don't understand. What could have happened to turn Regina into an…" Snow looked down at the little girl trying to judge what age she was. Looking at her she couldn't have been more than three of four years old. "An infant."

"It was Cora." Gold said drawing everyone to look over at him.

"Cora? Why would she do this to Regina? Before she…well you know." Emma said looking over at small Regina who was watching everyone very intently.

"She had her heart back." Gold stated.

Snow nodded. "I convinced her to give her mother her heart back, to try and stop Cora. To see if having her heart back would make her stop everything she was doing."

"It worked." Gold said staring over to the room where Cora now lay motionless. "I didn't realise…I thought it best to stop her once and for all. When she was dying she made a wish."

"A wish?" David asked. "What kind of wish?"

"She wished that she could give Regina the life she deserved, she wished to give Regina a second chance." Gold replied sighing slightly.

"A second chance?" Emma asked and then looked over at Regina who was now looking up at Snow. The little girl had not let go of Snow's hand since she had been sat on the counter. "So judging by how she is now an infant I am guessing her second chance means starting over again…"

"Looks like it." Gold nodded. He then frowned and limped away from everyone else and through to the other room. He walked over to where Cora lay and pulled the blanket from her. Leaning down he saw that there was something in her hand. He prized her fingers open and took a necklace from her hand. Hanging from the necklace was a red stone. Limping back through he held up the necklace just staring at it.

"What's that Papa?" Bae asked.

"It's a wishing stone. It's a very powerful piece of magic, an ancient piece of magic. Something that I didn't think really existed anymore." Gold answered. He then looked over at Regina. "I can't change her back."

"What?!" Emma asked eyes widening. She wasn't sure if she had heard the man right. "Did you just say you cannot change her back?"

Gold nodded. "There is no way to change her back. Only the person who cast the wish can and since she is…no longer around then it can't be done."

"There must be some sort of loophole." David said running his fingers through his hair looking from Regina to Gold. "I mean look at her Gold. Regina is a child."

"I can quiet clearly see that thank you." Gold snapped back. "But there is no way for me to change her back. This is ancient and powerful magic. No loophole here dearie."

Everyone just stood in silence looking over at Regina who was now playing with the necklace Snow was wearing, blissfully unaware of what was happening. She had become bored with whatever the adults were talking about. They couldn't believe it. Regina had been changed into an infant and there was no way to change her back. There was no way to fix the situation they found themselves in. Snow looked down at Regina and Regina looked up at her and gave her a little smile. Snow couldn't help but think how adorably cute little Regina was. Her shoulder length hair with a gentle curl, hr big brown sparkling eyes and her toothy grin that could make your heart melt.

"Well if there is no way to turn her back then what do we do?" Bae asked breaking the silence. "I mean her mother is…" He didn't finish that sentence as Regina looked over at him with her cute little face he couldn't finish that sentence.

Gold shrugged his shoulders and Emma sighed. "You are sure there is nothing you can do? How am I gonna tell Henry?"

"There is nothing Miss Swan. Regina will remain this way. As for Henry all you can do is tell him the truth. With everything he has seen I am sure he will understand." Gold replied.

"Oh yes of course, by the way Henry you know the woman who raised you for ten years, the woman you call your mom well she is now a toddler because any kid would understand that." Emma replied sarcastically.

"I really do not know what you want me to say Miss Swan. There is nothing that can be done to fix this." Gold said anger in his tone.

Snow continued to stare into Regina's eyes, finding herself lost in them. She thought about everything. She thought about why Cora would make the wish. She obviously wanted a second chance with her daughter, a chance to show her daughter the love she should have been shown. She wanted to give her daughter a second chance. A second chance at life by the looks of it. Perhaps they should respect the woman's last wish and give her daughter exactly that. Snow pulled her gaze away from Regina and looked at the rest of them who were beginning to bicker. She sighed. "Stop! Stop arguing. There is no point arguing. Gold has told us there is nothing he can do. We just have to accept that and maybe it is for the best."

"For the best? What are you talking about Snow?" David asked leaning on the counter.

"Well maybe we should respect Cora's last dying wish. She wanted her daughter to have the life she should have had. She wanted her to be shown the love she should have been shown. She wanted to give her a second chance…A second chance at life. To turn out the way she should have." Snow explained. "This is Regina's second chance."


	2. Chapter 2

_"Well maybe we should respect Cora's last dying wish. She wanted her daughter to have the life she should have had. She wanted her to be shown the love she should have been shown. She wanted to give her a second chance…A second chance at life. To turn out the way she should have." Snow explained. "This is Regina's second chance."_

* * *

><p>Everyone just stared at Snow as they took in everything she had just said. Regina's second chance, how were they going to give it to her? Who was going to look after her? What would everyone in the town say? All questions that buzzed around their minds. It was going to be hard to explain to the rest of the town that Regina, the Evil Queen was now an innocent toddler.<p>

"How?" Emma asked. She had no idea what else to say. What else could she say? She had no idea what they were going to do, how they were going to handle things.

"We will raise her. Teach her right from wrong, show her love, give her everything she never had as a child. Give her what she should have had." Snow explained.

"And who exactly is going to raise her dearie? I don't expect there is we a long line of people for the job." Gold replied sarcastically.

Snow rolled her eyes and sighed. She looked down at Regina and then over at David who was staring at her. She gave him a look as if to ask if he'd be willing to take on the job, she wanted to. She really wanted to. She wanted to give back something to Regina. She, after all was part of the reason that Regina became who she was before, she wanted to be the one to give Regina her second chance. She wanted to raise Regina the way she should have been raised, with love.

David watched Snow and then he stood up from leaning on the counter as he caught on to exactly what she was silently asking him. "Us? You want to raise her?" David asked making Emma, Bae and Gold step back and watch the couple.

Snow nodded her head. "I would be willing to. David she needs us. She needs a family who can show her love."

"But Snow…she's Regina…the woman who caused your life to be hell for years on end…" David said stumbling over his words slightly.

"David look at her. Look at this little girl, she is not that woman. This little girl here hasn't become that woman yet." Snow said. She leaned over and placed a hand on David's which was resting on the counter. "David she is an innocent child. She is not the Evil Queen."

"Me not evil." Regina butted in realising they were talking about her. She looked between Snow and David and she gave David a look that would melt anybodies heart.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Looking between his wife and Regina he knew Snow wouldn't let the matter settle. She was dead set on holding onto Regina. He could see she wouldn't let go of the little girl easily. "Okay." He breathed out. "We'll do it."

Snow squealed slightly and squeezed his hand in hers. "Thank you David." She gave him a big smile.

"One thing though how do we explain to her…like what do we say?" David asked looking from Snow and now over to Gold. "I mean will she remember anything from before?"

"You mean Cora?" Gold asked and David nodded. "It's possible." Gold said looking over at the child. "I could perhaps put a spell on her. Try and bind those memories and give her other ones. I could try and make it so that her memories of you being her parents."

"You could do that?" Snow asked. "And she wouldn't remember Cora?"

Gold shook his head. "It is quite a simple spell." He limped over to a shelf with several books on it. He ran his finger across them and then stopped, pulling one from the shelf. He flipped through the book and finally stopped on a page.

"Will it hurt her?" Snow asked. She didn't want the little girl to be hurt for the sake of a few memories.

"No dearie. She will be perfectly fine." Gold said as he limped closer to them. Regina bit her lip and cuddled into Snow a little more. She wasn't sure about the man in front of her. "Bless this mind and Bless this heart. Let these memories depart. Bring these new memories to mind. For happiness to find." Gold chanted these words as he pressed a hand to Regina's head.

They all watched closely waiting for something to happen but nothing did. Snow pulled away slightly as Gold removed his hand and stepped back and she looked down at Regina. "Regina, are you alright?" Snow asked brushing some hair away from Regina's face. Regina nodded her head.

"Did it work?" Emma asked stepping forward slightly.

"Can't imagine why it wouldn't have." Gold shrugged.

Emma rolled her eyes at Gold and then stepped forward again over to snow and Regina. "Regina who am I?" Emma asked her.

"You Emma." Regina said in a what a stupid question tone. "My big sister."

Emma gasped and then leaned on the counter looking at Regina closely. "And who is that?" Emma asked pointing to Snow.

"That mommy silly." Regina said with a little giggle thinking Emma was being very silly and funny. Emma then pointed over to David and Regina followed with her eyes. "You know Emma. That daddy."

Emma nodded and then stood up from the counter turning to look at David, Gold and Bae. "Yep the spell definitely worked."

"I can't believe you doubted it had." Gold snapped.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I just had to check." Emma sighed. "So how do we tell everyone else?"

"I will leave that one to you dearie." Gold smirked

* * *

><p>David and Emma left Gold's shop (leaving him to deal with Cora) and called a meeting at the town hall informing everybody that they had to be there as there was important news. This meeting was to be happening in half an hour and Emma really felt she should tell Henry before he found out from somebody else in the town. That was no way for him to find out about his mother. So here she was sat on the sofa in Snow and David's loft with Henry trying to figure out how to tell him that his mother, the woman who had raised him for the last ten or so years was now a toddler.<p>

She shuffled on the sofa, fidgeting while trying to go through things in her head. Henry had a worried look on his face and she bit her lip. _The best thing to do is just say it. Just like ripping off a band aid. Quick. _She took a deep breath and begun. "Henry there is something very important I need to tell you."

"Is it about you and dad? Are you together?" Henry asked hoping showing on his face.

Emma sighed. She had already been through that with him at least a couple of times already. That was definitely not happening again. "Henry we have been over this. Your dad and I…it's not gonna happen kid." Henry's face dropped. "But that's not what I want to talk to you about kid."

"What is it?" Henry asked.

"It's your mom Henry…" Emma started but was soon interrupted by Henry.

"What? What happened? Did you stop her and Cora? Is she hurt?"

"Whoa Henry one thing at a time eh?" Emma said holding up her hands. "We did stop Cora, she died." Emma said opting for the complete truth. He needed to know.

"She died? Is mom okay?" Henry asked the worry showing on his face. No matter what Regina done Henry always did worry about her. Even when he harped on about her being the Evil Queen he did care in his own way.

"Yea your moms okay kid…well kind of…"

"Kind of?" Henry frowned, a frown Emma had noticed was very much like Regina's when she was confused about something.

"Yes…she isn't hurt or anything Henry but you see…the thing is, your mom she's…"

Just as Emma was about to finally tell Henry what had happened to Regina the door was flung open and in ran a toddler Regina with Snow and David running after her. Emma and Henry looked over and Henry looked at the toddler open mouthed. He was sure he recognised the little child but he wasn't sure. "Hi Henry!" Regina squealed as she ran over to him.

"Hi…" Henry said hesitantly and then looked up at Emma. He then looked back at the little girl and then over to where Snow and David were.

"I told you guys to wait." Emma said.

"We tried but she is quite forceful Emma. She knows what she wants and she wanted to be in here." Snow replied giving Emma an I'm sorry look.

"What is going on?" Henry asked beginning to get frustrated. He had no idea what was going on.

"Henry what I was about to say before was…you see your mom she kind of got turned into a toddler." Emma said sighing as finally she said it. "And here she is." Emma pointed to Regina who was now skipping around the room singing to herself.

Henry's eyes widened at this news and he looked over to Regina. "Wha…She's…mom…" Henry stuttered. No words were really forming for him. He wasn't sure if he would be able to form a sentence.

"I know this is a lot to take in Henry…" Emma began to say.

"How? How did this happen?" He asked interrupting Emma.

"Cora." Snow said walking over to Henry and crouching down in front of him. "Cora made a wish before she died. She had her heart back and she wished for Regina to have the life she deserved to have. She wished for Regina to have a second chance Henry. A second chance at life." Snow explained holding onto Henry's hands.

"Can she be changed back?" He asked the question they had all dreaded him asking. Emma and snow looked back at David telling him he was to handle this question.

He came over and like Snow crouched down in front of Henry. "Henry there is no way to change Regina back. Cora had something called a wishing stone, some very ancient and powerful magic. The only way Regina could change back is if the person who cast the wish made it so but…"

"Cora's dead so she can't." Henry finished and all three adults nodded their heads.

"Mr Gold has altered her memories slightly. Regina thinks that David and I are her parents, Emma is her big sister and well you would be her nephew." Snow explained slowly.

"Her nephew who is older than her?" Henry said.

"It's not unheard of kid. Better than being her son who is older than her right?" Emma asked nudging Henry trying to lighten the mood a little. It worked. Henry laughed a little and he looked over at Regina who was still skipping around and singing to herself. Emma followed his gaze and smiled. "Cute isn't she?"

"I can't deny that she is." Henry sighed.

"Are you okay with this Henry? I know it's a lot of take in." Snow asked.

Henry stared over at Regina for a little bit longer. It was a weird situation. His mother now being a toddler and thinking he was her nephew but he couldn't deny she was incredibly cute and from what Emma and his grandparents had told him there was no way to change her back so he gathered he would just have to be okay with it. He figured he would get used to it at some point. He would have to. So he nodded his head and replied. "Yea, I'll get used to it I suppose. It might just take some time."

"I think all of us will need some time to get used to it kid."

* * *

><p>The town meeting had been a hard one. Harder than telling Henry. Henry had stayed behind the scenes with Regina trying to keep her amused while Emma, David and Snow tried to explain to everyone what had happened with Cora and then what had happened to Regina. Many people couldn't believe it and it was then that Emma had decided maybe they should show them Regina.<p>

Snow had been reluctant. She wasn't sure how people were going to react. She hoped that they would not see the Evil Queen but an innocent little girl. She collected her from Henry and carried her onto the stage and announced her to everyone emitting a gasp from everyone in the hall. Regina had become quite shy and cuddled into Snow not liking that everyone was staring at her with funny faces.

They had received all the questions that they thought they would; how did this happen? What shall become of her? Will she be turned back? Who will look after her? They explained everything to the towns people. From the wish Cora had made of Regina's second chance to her memories being altered to the fact that there was no way of changing Regina back. They explained that she was to be raised with Snow and David, to be brought up a different way from before. To be given her second chance at life.

Everyone seemed to be happy with the fact that the Evil Queen was gone, replaced by a toddler. No more worrying about the Evil Queen. No more living under her dark rule. However once it was revealed that Mr Gold was to become the new mayor uproar had begun. Many people claiming it to be a mistake to give him such power. But once Emma and David had made it perfectly clear that they would be working very closely with Gold in the running of the town people seemed to relax a little.

Finally the town meeting finished and everyone began to file out of the town hall and Emma sunk into a chair putting her head in her hands. "That has to be the hardest town meeting ever!" She groaned.

"At least it is over with now." David sighed.

Regina tugged on Snow's hand. "Mommy me hungry."

Snow knelt down so she was more to Regina's height and smiled at her. "You know what? so am I." Snow smiled tickling Regina slightly making her giggle. "Why don't we go to Grannies and get some lunch?" Snow announced looking up at David, Emma and Henry.

"Sounds good to me. I'm starving!" Henry exclaimed.

They all made their way out of the town hall and over to Grannies. Regina went running ahead and was just about to run over the road when Snow shouted and ran to grab her. "Regina! You do not go running across the road like that. Do you hear me? That's dangerous!" the worry in Snow's tone showed.

"Sorry mommy." Regina apologized quietly and looked down at her feet pouting slightly.

Snow found it weird telling Regina off like this. It was not long ago that she was arguing with Regina, shouting at each other and now she was being a mother to her and telling her off for nearly running across the road, it felt quite weird. "Hold my hand please." Snow said holding her hand out for Regina to take.

"Mommy me be good and walk on my own." Regina whined a little not liking the idea of being able to walk ahead and run if she wanted to.

"No Regina I want you to hold my hand until we get to Grannies." Snow put on a firmer tone trying to get through to Regina that she meant what she said. She leaned down and tried to take Regina's hand but Regina snatched it back.

"I walk myself like big girl." Regina moaned.

"Regina take my hand now." Snow said beginning to let a frustrated tone show through. They were really going to need to work out how they were going to handle the toddler. They had never got this stage with Emma. They had never experienced it. She had heard of the mischievous behaviour and the tantrums and had a feeling Regina would be no exception to those. She tried to think through what was said to her as a child if she misbehaved and then it struck her. "I am going to count to three Regina and if you are not holding my hand then you will be in serious trouble and there will be no sweetie for you later. One…"

David, Emma and Henry watched the scene and waited to see what Regina would do. They tried to hold back the laughter as they watched Regina trying to work out what was the best thing to do. Walk with her mother and get a sweet or defy her mother and walk by herself, although they all knew if she defied her mother she would not be walking by herself in any way. Emma found it hilarious that Snow was having to tell Regina off and Henry thought it just plain weird. While David just watch wondering how they were going to handle this toddler Regina.

"Two…" Snow counted.

Regina wasn't sure but she had a feeling that her mother counting wasn't a good thing and the more she thought about it the more she wanted a sweetie later. So she sighed and made a decision. "Okay mommy. Walk with you." Regina said quickly slipping her small hand into Snow's before she got to three.

Snow smiled at the small triumph. She knew this would probably be the first of many times she would have this situation with Regina but she was happy with the outcome of the first time. "Good girl." Snow praised. "Now come on let's go get some lunch.

Regina happily skipped along the rest of the way to Grannies clutching to Snow's hand. They entered and all eyes were on them as they walked over to a small booth. Snow helped Regina up onto the chair and then sat down beside her. David slipped in beside Snow and Emma and Henry sat opposite them. "Mommy me sit there." Regina demanded pointing to in-between Snow and David. "Want to sit next to daddy to."

"What do you say Regina?" Snow asked.

"Please." Regina replied sweetly with fluttering eyelashes and a sweet smile.

"As if butter wouldn't melt." Emma muttered causing Henry to laugh.

"Good girl." Snow praised again and then she shuffled down a little lifting Regina up and plopping her in between herself and David. They all began to look at their menus, David telling Regina what their was for her and soon Ruby came over.

"Hey guys." She greeted and her eyes soon landed on Regina who gave her the sweetest smile she could. "Wow!"

"What?" Emma asked looking up from her menu.

"I saw Regina earlier at the meeting but I was at the back, didn't realize just how cute she actually is." Ruby gushed slightly. "She's adorable. Are you sure that is Regina?"

"Quite sure." David nodded. "Believe me it's Regina. She might only be a toddler but she is just as stubborn as the other Regina."

Emma, Snow and Ruby laughed and Regina looked on confused. Ruby then leaned down a little. "Hi Regina. I'm Ruby."

"Hi Ruby." Regina beamed and waved her hand.

"So what age are you then Regina?" Ruby asked.

"I three." Regina answered excitedly. "Me big girl."

"Three? You most certainly are a big girl." Ruby played along making Regina giggle and Regina had decided from then that she liked Ruby. "So what can I get you guys?"

"Choc 'late milk please!" Regina declared excitedly jumping up and down on the chair making everyone at the table laugh and everyone in the diner look on at them.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you are enjoying this so far. Toddler Regina is based mainly on my two little cousins, her speech and some of the things she will do is from my experiences looking after them (they can be a handful but are the cutest so can get away with things ha!). But feel free if anyone has any ideas of what Regina could get up to and how Snow and David should handle things please feel free to let me know and leave a review. I would be more than happy to write any ideasthings you would like to see as well as my own. Any way, thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it goes on :-)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Just a few things before the chapter of this story:**

**A few reviews have said about Snow killing Cora, in this story Snow did not kill Cora. She gave Regina Cora's heart to try and end the fighting and hopefully let Regina and Cora have some sort of relationship with one another however Rumplestiltskin was the one to kill her as he thought it best to do this. Perhaps I didn't really show that, for this I apologise. Rumples actions in this chapter are in a way his actions to make up for what he has done to Regina by killing Cora.**

**I have taken a few little ideas from some people and I will add in little bits here and there. Thank you to those who have shared little ideas they would like to see in the story and if anyone else has anything they would like to say feel free to let me know. **

**As for Robin Hood appearing I have an idea of this and it won't be long before he pops up. Now remember this story in completely AU so keep your minds open :-)**

**Any way I shall leave you to hopefully enjoy this next chapter:**

* * *

><p>As they ate their lunch they talked as if nothing had happened that day, as if everything was normal. Well that was until Regina added in her little comments here and there and it brought them back down to what had happened but they all found toddler Regina to be rather funny and entertaining and were beginning to find themselves become used to her already. Even Henry.<p>

"Mommy what's green stuff?" Regina asked as she flicked it with her fork. She did not appear happy to having it on her plate.

"That's salad sweetheart. It's yummy and good for you. Eat up." Snow replied.

"Look yucky!" Regina stuck her tongue out and had a look of disgust on her face which Emma and Henry had to try so hard to control their laughter at.

"So ironic because mom loved salad." Henry laughed causing Emma to laugh.

"Why laughing Henry? Joke daddy?" Regina questioned with a look of confusion on her face. She had no idea what Henry and Emma found so funny.

"No joke Regina. Henry and Emma are just being silly." David said tucking some of Regina's hair behind her ear. He found it strange how he had so suddenly fallen into fatherly mode with Regina of all people but he couldn't help it she was just to adorable. "Now come on eat your salad up."

Regina groaned a little. "Don't like it."

"I don't think you have even tried it Regina." Snow commented. "If you eat some of your salad we can go and get a sweetie before we go home." Snow said hoping it would coax Regina to eat at least a couple of bites of salad.

"How much?" Regina asked.

Snow leaned over and moved aside a little bit of salad deciding to start small and not push her too much. They had plenty of time to drum in the whole you have to eat your greens thing into her. "I think that should do." Regina huffed but decided to eat it so that she could get her sweetie afterwards.

The family looked up as they heard someone clearing their throat and saw that Gold was stood at the end of the table. They all gave him a questioning look, all except Regina who was very focused on trying to finish her salad as quick as she could. "I have something to show you if you are quite finished with lunch."

"I think we are done." David looked around the table and everyone nodded. "What do you want to show us?" He asked.

Gold was just about to answer with Regina butted in. "Done mommy. All gone." She happily said as she pushed her plate away.

"Clever girl Regina." Snow smiled. She pulled Regina onto her lap and directed her gaze to Gold telling him to go ahead.

"I think you should wait and see when we get there." He announced.

"Okay." David sighed. "I'll go pay." He got up from his seat and walked over to the counter.

Regina shuffled out of Snow's arms and crawled over to the end of the seat. She stood up and looked up at Gold with a wondering look on her face. She held up her arms indicating that she wanted him to lift her up but he just looked down at her not moving. "Up pwease." Regina sweetly asked.

"Go on Gold. Surely you can't resist that." Emma chuckled.

He rolled his eyes and he leaned down lifting the small child up and balancing her in his arms. She smiled up at him and he could feel his lips begin to tweak at the ends, a smile trying to fight its way through but not quite making it.

"What you name?" Regina questioned.

"Mr Gold."

Regina frowned. "Mr not you name." She giggled. "What you name?"

He could feel himself beginning to smile and tried to fight it off but was beginning to lose the battle. "Rumplestiltskin."

"Rum…Rumple…stilch…skin." Regina tried to repeat was having a little bit of trouble to repeat his name.

"Rumplestiltskin dearie."

"Can't say it." Regina grumbled a sad look appearing on her face.

He couldn't explain it but the sad look on his face hit him hard. His heart went out to her and he wanted to make her feel better. The child was getting to him. "Well dearie some people call me Rumple, can you say that?"

Regina nodded her head. "Rumple."

"That's it." He smiled at her, a genuine smile.

"I call you that?" Regina asked.

"Yes you can call me that." He nodded his head at the young child. David then came back over and he handed Regina over to him and they all followed Gold out of Grannies. "Now we could walk but we're not going to." He said and all of a sudden they had left Grannies and were now stood outside of the mayors house.

Emma, David and Snow looked around in confusion. "Why are we outside the mayor's house?" Emma asked. "You wanting to show us what you've done with your new place?" Emma raised an eyebrow at him.

"In a way." Gold smirked. He began to walk up the path to the front door and stopped turning to them. "However this is not my new place."

"But your mayor and this is the mayor's house?" Snow questioned.

"That may be so but I already have a perfectly good house that I like and that Belle and I are quite settled in. So I won't be requiring the house. But you will." Gold said pointing at Snow and David who still had a hold of Regina.

"We do?" David looked up at the house and then back at Gold. "We have a place to live Gold."

"Ah yes the loft. I am sure it is big enough to raise a child in. Lots of space for her to run around and cause trouble in." Gold said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. "I think a bigger house is in order and after all this is Regina's house." Snow and David looked at Regina. They supposed Gold was right their loft probably was big enough to raise Regina in. They probably did need somewhere a bit bigger but they never imagined somewhere like this. "Now if you would come in I will show you around your new home." Gold opened the door and walked in and everyone followed.

"We already know what the mayor's mansion looks like." David commented.

"Yes well I have made a few changes." Gold said picking up a picture frame and showing it to them. They all looked at the picture and gasped as they saw it was a picture of all of them with a little Regina. "And there are plenty more. Regina's study…" Gold walked over to the room and opened the door. "Is now a family room or play room whatever you wish." Snow and David just nodded and they followed Gold around the home. "The living room and kitchen are pretty much the same as is the dining area. " They then walked up stairs and Gold stopped outside where Regina's room had been. "This is the master bedroom, yes it had been Regina's but I have made some changes." He let them walk in and Snow and David gasped. They had never really seen Regina's room before but they marvelled at the sheer size of it. It was bright and spacious. "With a walk in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom I am sure you will feel quite at home. Now I have left your room as it is Henry in case you wish to stay." Gold said looking at Henry who just nodded his head. They then stopped outside a door and Gold looked at Regina. "And this is your room Regina." He opened the door and let everyone walk in.

The room was lovely. The walls were painted a light pink, with curtains to match. The furniture white, one wardrobe and chest of drawers and Regina's bed, a big girls bed with a hanging pink net hanging over the bed giving it a princess feel which Gold had thought perfect. There was a trunk at the end of the bed, shelves and a little table and chairs set in the corner. David put Regina on the floor and they watched as she looked around. There were toys all around, stuffed animals on the bed. One in particular catching her eye. She ran over and picked up the toy unicorn from the bed.

"Oh horsie." Regina exclaimed happily.

"Out of everything in this room that is what she is excited about." Emma laughed.

"It's the little things that count." Gold replied

"This is wonderful Gold. But why? Why have you done this for us?" David asked. Rumplestiltskin never done anything for nothing. There was always a price with him. "What's your price for all of this?"

"There is no price." Gold shook his head.

"No price? Then why do this?" Snow frowned.

"I know how hard it can be to look after a child. I do not need the house what else was I to do with it?" Gold shrugged. "I also feel that perhaps I owe Regina this at least. I did…well Cora not being here is because of me."

Everyone looked on in surprise at hearing what Gold said. They had not expected any of that. But they were soon brought out of their silence by Regina running over with her new favourite toy, the unicorn. "Look Emma. It a horsie." Regina said holding the unicorn up.

"Wow. You know Regina that is a special type of horse." Emma knelt down to Regina's height. "It's called a unicorn. They are magical."

"Magical?" Regina repeated in amazement. "Wow." She gushed making the others laugh.

"What you going to call your unicorn Regina?" Henry asked bending down slightly.

"She called Magic." Regina announced proudly showing off her unicorn. She then ran off to explore the rest of her bedroom. Snow watched her with a smile on her face. She had a feeling that everything would fall into place. She was sure they could manage to give Regina the life Cora truly wanted for her.

* * *

><p>After a while Emma, Henry and Gold left the mansion leaving Snow, David and Regina to settle into their new home and let Snow and David adapt to living with a toddler. Both couldn't deny it felt weird having a toddler running around and they were still getting used to the fact that it was Regina. But they found that they were becoming used to it a lot faster than they had anticipated.<p>

Snow had settled Regina at the table in the dining area with some paper and pens while she and David decided to get started on dinner. "David, you are alright with looking after Regina aren't you?" Snow asked. She had realised that they hadn't really had much time to talk about everything, just the two of them and she didn't really know exactly what her husband was thinking and feeling about their new situation.

"Of course I am snow." David looked up at her. "I told you when you suggested it in Gold's shop."

"Yes I know but we haven't been able to talk about…this…just the two of us and I just…I need to check with you. I don't want you doing this just because you know I want to. I don't want you to feel pressured into doing this because of me." Snow sighed and stopped what she was doing. She walked around the counter and over to where David was standing. "I just really want to do this for her David. I know after everything she put me through, put us through, it seems weird that I should want to do this but I think deep down I have always loved Regina. Even through all those times where she tried to kill me and when I saw her their looking so innocent and lost I just…"

"I understand Snow." David assured her placing his arms on her arms. "I want to do this and if I am honest I feel like I have fallen into being her father already. I can't explain it, it just feels right."

Snow smiled. "I feel exactly the same. So you think we can do this? We will cope?"

"I'm not going to lie and I won't pretend it is going to be easy Snow. I am more than sure Regina will push us to the limit sometimes, we will have to endure tantrums and mischievous behaviour but I also know we will have so many good times with her and I can't wait for it all." David replied with a big smile on his face.

"I love you." Snow gushed and she leaned forward wrapping her arms around David's neck and pulling him into a hug which he returned by wrapping his arms around her waist. She was so happy that he felt the same as she did. She really wanted this to work out and it seemed that it just might.

"Mommy, Daddy look what I drawed." Regina exclaimed excitedly as she ran into the kitchen. Snow and David pulled away from one another and looked down to see Regina stood in front of them holding up her picture. "it for you."

"Oh Regina it's lovely." Snow said crouching down to Regina's level, David following suit.

"It a horsie mommy." Regina told her with a proud look on her face.

"It's a fantastic horse Regina." David praised and couldn't help but melt at the happy look on Regina's face. "You know I think that your picture is that fantastic that we should put it on the fridge, what do you say Snow?"

"Oh I agree." Snow nodded her head.

Regina gasped at her parents. "Really?" She asked. Snow and David nodded and David leaned forward and took the picture from Regina. He then stood up and walked over to the fridge with Regina close behind him. She picked up a magnet. "This one daddy." She said holding up the magnet to David.

"Okay princess." He said and put the picture on the fridge with the magnet. Both Snow and David smiled at the picture. Their first picture from their daughter and they were more than sure that it would not be the last one.


	4. Chapter 4

They first night was a hard one for Snow and David. They had managed to get Regina to eat most of her dinner and they then spent some time with her, playing games and watching some television before it was time for bath. Trying to coax Regina into the bath was a little harder than they had expected.

"Regina time for your bath." Snow called as she walked into the living room. She frowned as Regina was nowhere in sight.

David looked round. "She isn't in here Snow. I told her to go up and see you to get ready for her bath."

"Well I haven't seen her." Snow quickly left the room and searched all the rooms downstairs to see if Regina was playing elsewhere but she was nowhere in sight. She then ran upstairs. "Regina? Where are you?" Snow called. She went into her and David's room and searched around in there. Not seeing Regina she checked in Henry's room, the other spare bedroom and then Regina's room. "Regina are you in here?" She stopped as she heard giggling and looked around her trying to see where it had come from. "I am sure I saw a little girl called Regina come in here…" She started with a smile on her face. "Now where could she be?" Once again she heard giggling and she turned towards the wardrobe. She walked over to it and opened the doors to see Regina sitting at the bottom of the wardrobes with her hands over her eyes. "Got you!" Snow declared and picked Regina up ticking her making her laugh more.

"No mommy!" Regina laughed and tried to wriggle out of Snows arms.

"Come on Regina it's bath time."

"Nooo mommy. No bath." Regina tried her hardest to pull out of Snow's arms but nothing seemed to be working. "No no no!"

Snow ignored Regina's protesting and took her into the bath room and closed the door over slightly. She then placed her down on the floor and knelt down in front of her beginning to get her undressed so that she could put her in the bath but Regina struggled as best she could not making the job any easier for Snow. "Regina come on. Going in the bath will be fun. Look there are lots of bubbles in there for you and some toys to play with."

"I don'ts think it will be fun mommy." Regina said shaking her head a stubborn look on her face. Snow sighed and continued to undress her. Once she was undressed she picked her up, quickly checking the bath water to make sure it wasn't too hot she placed Regina into the bath and Regina crossed her arms over her chest, lips pouted and a frown on her face. "No fair mommy."

"Sometimes life isn't." Snow replied kneeling down beside Regina. She then leaned over and picked up a little turtle and thought of a way to try and get Regina to enjoy her bath and make things easier on herself. "Do you know the turtle song Regina? About a turtle that went in the bath?" Regina shook her head and her frown began to disappear a little beginning to turn to a look of interest. She liked songs. "Would you like to hear it?"

Regina nodded her head. "Yes mommy."

"Okay." Snow cleared her throat slightly and began to sing the nursery rhyme to Regina. "I had a little turtle. His name was Tiny Tim. I put him in the bath tub to see if he could swim. He drank up all the water. He ate up all the soap and now my little turtle has bubbles in his throat. Bubble, bubble bubble. Bubble, bubble, bubble. Bubble, bubble bubble. Bubble, bubble…POP!" Snow clapped her hands as she shouted pop and Regina giggled.

"I like that song mommy." Regina squealed.

"Shall we sing another song Regina?" Snow asked now beginning to wash Regina as she was now more relaxed and happy to be in the bath.

"Yes mommy." Regina nodded her head.

"Alright. Why don't you sing one to me?" Snow suggested.

"Okay mommy." Regina replied and Snow watched as Regina put on her cute thinking face, her brow furrowed and her lip sticking out slightly. "Ohh I know twinkle twinkle."

"Oh yes. I would like to hear that one." Snow smiled.

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are." Regina sang and done the actions at the same time.

"That was lovely sweetheart." Snow praised. She placed the sponge on the side of the bath and then leaned over to pick up the big white fluffy towel. She stood up. "Right come on then out we get."

"Okay mommy." Regina said standing up. Snow lifted her out of the bath and then wrapped the towel around her. She helped Regina dry off and then put her in her pyjamas which were white with little red hearts all over them. "Mommy I go downstairs and watch TV?" Regina asked as Snow brushed her hair.

Snow glanced up at the clock and noticed it was half past seven and she really wanted to try and get Regina in some sort of bed time routine and Ideally she wanted her to be in bed and being read a story by now. "I think perhaps we should go to bed Regina."

"Oh no mommy, that not a good idea." Regina argued and Snow had to try as hard as she could not to laugh at the toddler. It seemed toddler Regina was just as good as the older Regina at arguing and just as stubborn. Some things never changed.

"Well mommy thinks it is a good idea." Snow countered. She placed the brush on the bath room counter and then stood up. "Now come along Regina. Would you like mommy or daddy to read you a story tonight?" Snow asked as she took Regina's hand and lead her through to her bed room.

Regina thought about this as Snow lead her into her bedroom and helped her up onto her bed. She climbed under her covers and turned to face her mother. "Daddy." Regina decided.

"Alright then." Snow said. "I'll go get daddy."

Snow quickly went downstairs and into the living room. "Regina says she wants daddy to read her a bedtime story."

"Really?" David asked with a smile on his face. He had thought she would have wanted Snow but he couldn't deny he was happy that Regina wanted him to read her a bedtime story.

"It seems so." Snow nodded.

"Well I best get up there." He went upstairs and into Regina's room to see her tucking in her favourite stuffed toy unicorn, magic. She turned slightly and gave David a smile. "So what story are we going to read tonight Regina?" David asked. Regina climbed out of her bed and ran over to her little shelf where Gold and put some books. She looked them over and finally decided on one. She padded back over to the bed and David helped her back up and tucked her in. Regina held up the book and he couldn't help but smile at the book she had chosen. "Snow White?" David asked. _Oh the irony. _

Regina nodded her head. "Yes please daddy."

"Okay then princess." David said. He sat beside Regina on the bed and she cuddled into him as he began to read the story to her.

Snow peered into the room through the gap in the door and couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched David and Regina. She heard David putting on different voices for different characters and heard Regina laughing. The scene made her heart melt. She then went into her and David's bedroom and decided to get changed.

"And they lived happily ever after." David finished. He then looked down at Regina who was rubbing her eyes and yawning. He stood up off the bed and placed the book on the little bedside table beside her bed. "Okay lie down then princess." Regina done as she was told, too tired to argue and David tucked her in and kissed the top of her head.

"Daddy need mommy." Regina said quietly rubbing her eyes.

"Don't worry I will send mommy in." David said brushing some hair away from her face. "Good night Regina."

"Night daddy. Love you." She said and he smiled.

"I love you to." He said softly. He then stood up and walked out of the room. "Snow?" He said loudly.

"In here David." She called from the bedroom.

He walked through to their bedroom. "Regina wants you."

She nodded and walked over to him kissing him softly on the lips before walking past him and making her way into Regina's bed room. She walked over to the bed and smiled down at Regina. Placing a kiss on her head she said. "Good night sweetheart."

"Night night mommy." She replied tiredly.

Snow then walked out of the room, switching on the little pink night light and closing the door over a little but leaving it opening in case Regina needed to get up during the night.

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><p>Regina awoke very early the next morning, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she sat up. She then picked up Magic her unicorn and shuffled out of her bed, holding on tightly as she was quite small and her bed was quite high from the floor to her. She dropped to the floor and padded over the carpet and over to the door. Pulling it open she peered out and looked both ways down the hall. It was quite dark and a little scary.<p>

She walked out of the room and down the hall over to where she knew her mommy and daddy slept. Pushing the door open slightly and peering in she could see that Snow and David were still fast asleep and could hear David snoring loudly which she thought was funny. She pushed the door open a little more and ran into the room and over to the side of the bed Snow was sleeping on. Looking up at her mommy she patted her arm trying to wake her up. If she was awake someone else should be to.

"Mommy." Regina whispered loudly. "Mommy times to wakes up." Regina hit Snow's arm a little more and smiled as Snow began to move a little and groaned.

Snow's eyes fluttered open and finally registered that Regina was stood in front of her, her big brown eyes staring up at her and tightly clutching her unicorn. She rubbed her eyes and then peered over at her bedside table looking at the alarm clock for the time. Seeing it was five o'clock she groaned. It was definitely not time to wake up. They had at least another couple of hours before it was acceptable to get out of bed on a Saturday. "Regina it's too early to get up." Snow groaned

"Mommy me is awake." Regina said stepping closer to the bed and leaning on it so she was face to face with Snow.

Snow looked Regina over and smiled slightly. She had bed head which just seemed to make her look even more adorable and while clutching her unicorn it was just too much cuteness for someone that Snow had never looked at as cute before. "Why don't you come in here for a bit Regina?" Snow asked lifting the covers up, hoping she could persuade the little girl to sleep for a little bit longer. Even if it was for only another hour, anything would be better.

Regina put on her thinking face and thought about what her mother had suggested. She looked at the big comfy looking bed and supposed that she could lie in there for a little bit. She then nodded and put her unicorn up on the bed beside Snow. She then proceeded to try and climb up onto the bed. Her arms clutching to the covers and one leg up, finding it a little difficult as she was just that little bit too small.

Snow giggled a little as she watched Regina and then sat up a bit and leaned forward. "Need some help Regina?"

"Yes mommy." Regina sighed and she held up her arms to Snow. Snow leaned forward and lifted Regina up onto the bed and lay down. Regina snuggled in beside Snow, now back to clutching Magic and she rested her head on the pillow beside Snow, her head in the crook of her neck. Snow wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close, closing her eyes they slept on for a little longer before they would have to get up and experience the first full day with a toddler.


	5. Chapter 5

Regina had managed to stay in Snow and David's bed for an hour before she decided that was enough and she wanted to go downstairs and Snow was to go with her. Snow groaned and hid her face into her pillow. She hadn't thought about the fact toddlers were usually up early. Having never experienced this stage with Emma she had no idea what she was doing. She moved her head slightly to see Regina shuffling out of the bed. There was no way she was going to get Regina back in the bed. She sighed and sat up.

"Mommy lets go. I hungry." Regina demanded.

"Alright Regina. Give me a minute." Snow replied. She rubbed her eyes and stretched letting her body wake up. Looking at the clock, seeing it was only quarter past six. It was going to be a long day and she had no idea what to do with the toddler that was stood in front of her.

She hadn't thought about it when she had said she and David would look after Regina. She hadn't thought about what looking after a toddler would be like. She had never got the chance to do so with Emma. She had never got the nagging to get up far too early in the morning. She hadn't had to spend a day entertaining a toddler. Although the night before had gone well enough she had no idea what was in store for them today.

Snow moved and swung her legs out of the bed. Regina pulled on Snow's hand. "Mommy come on!" Regina pulled and pulled and eventually Snow stood up and let Regina pull her out of the room and downstairs. As soon as they were downstairs Regina ran through to the kitchen and Snow quickly followed her. "Want toast mommy."

"Alright Regina." Snow said yawning slightly in the middle. "Why don't you go in the living room and watch some TV?"

Regina nodded and she ran out of the kitchen and through to the living room while Snow prepared Regina's toast. Snow leaned on the counter and tried to think what they could do. She knew that she and David needed to set some time aside to discuss things. Discuss how they were going to handle a toddler and working. Discuss how they would punish the toddler when she stepped out of line. There was a lot they needed to discuss and it was probably best if Regina was not in ear shot to hear any of it. So Snow decided the best time would probably be when Regina went for a nap.

She sighed thinking about everything that had happened the day before. It had been a weird day, even for her. One minute Regina was with Cora and they were attacking Gold's shop, attacking them all. The next she and Regina were in her vault and she was trying to convince Regina to give Cora her heart back and stop it all. She didn't think it would end in Cora's death. She didn't think Rumplestiltskin would kill Cora. Then all of sudden there was a toddler Regina and she had told them all she would look after Regina. It had all seemed to happen so fast and when she had looked into the toddler's eyes it was as if she was looking at the sweet young woman who had once saved her life. The woman before the Evil Queen. Looking into those eyes she saw the Regina before she had been corrupted and evil had taken her over. She saw the woman she had once loved and worshipped and she took pity on the young girl and she knew she could not just leave her. She needed to give her what Cora wished because Cora's wish was not unlike her own wish for Regina.

Snow had long wished that Regina could have a second chance. A chance to prove that she was not the woman everyone branded her to be. Snow knew Regina wasn't really that woman. Things got in the way, things got on top of her, people manipulated her. She was not born that way, she was made that way. Of course Snow wasn't naive. She knew that Regina made a lot of her choices willingly but it didn't change how she felt about her. it didn't change that she wished Regina could be the woman who had once saved her.

She guessed also that perhaps Regina's second chance at life gave her a second chance in a strange way. Regina had taken Snow's chance of raising her daughter away from her when she cast the dark curse. She had taken Emma from her in a way and Snow had missed out on Emma growing. She had missed out on Emma's first word, first step and many more firsts. She had missed her toddler tantrums, missed watching her grow into the beautiful woman that she is today and with what happened to Regina Snow saw it as, in a strange way, Regina giving her a second chance to raise a child. She had a chance to experience what she had missed with not having Emma with her and although she wished so much to have those memories of Emma she knew it wasn't going to happen.

She jumped slightly as the toast popped out from the toaster and she put some jam on them and put them on a plate. She carried the plate through to the living room and smiled as she saw Regina sitting on the sofa, a blanket draped over her small legs, Magic sitting beside her with the blanket over the toy and watching whatever cartoons the toddler had found. She walked further in and handed the plate to Regina. "Here you are. Would you like a drink Regina?"

"Milk please."

Snow nodded and made her way back to the kitchen. Yes it was indeed going to be weird raising the woman she had once seen as her mother but when was her life normal. After all she came from a world of fairy tales and magic.

* * *

><p>A little later on when David had emerged from bed they decided they would take Regina to the park, get her out in the fresh air and hopefully tire her out so nap time would be no issue and to their surprise it had worked wonders. When they had returned home, shoes and coats were taken off and when nap time was mentioned Regina had not argued. She simply climbed into bed (with David's help) let her parents kiss her and cuddled into magic, falling asleep in no time at all.<p>

"Something tells me not every nap time will go this smoothly." Snow whispered as she and David checked on Regina.

David chuckled quietly and placed a hand on Snow's shoulder. "No probably not. Come on let's go down stairs."

Snow nodded and they quietly left the sleeping toddler's room and went down stairs into the living room. They sat on the sofa and Snow was the first of them to speak. "David we need to talk."

"What about?" David asked turning on the sofa slightly to look at Snow.

"We need to talk about how we are going to handle things with Regina. What we are going to do with her while we work, how we will discipline her when she steps out of line, just what we are going to do with this." Snow sighed. "Things I didn't think about when I suggested we look after Regina."

"To be fair I didn't think about those things either." David said placing a hand on Snow's knee.

"I just don't really know what to do with a toddler. I think last night and this morning we have gotten lucky. Things have run smoothly, well apart from Regina waking really early. But other than that things have gone great. We have hardly had to tell her off and that's great but there will come a time when she will step over that line."

"Well I think what you done on the way to Grannies yesterday worked well. The counting thing."

"Yes but we need something else David. There will come a time when she decides to see what will happen when we get to three and if we have nothing then we are in trouble. This second chance for Regina is a chance for her to become the person she should have been before evil corrupted her and I think for us to achieve this we need discipline of some sort." Snow explained.

"Okay." David nodded. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Well I borrowed this parenting book from Belle's library yesterday. The book suggests that we give a time out when Regina misbehaves. This will give Regina time to think about what she has done and see that it was wrong. Once the time out is finished we ask for an apology, if she gives us her apology we accept, have a hug and she can leave time out."

"And if she doesn't say sorry?" David asked.

"She stays in time out until she does say sorry." Snow said. "The idea is she thinks about what she has done, realises it was wrong and she won't do it again."

David nodded. "How long should she be in time out until we ask for an apology?"

"Well this book suggests a time of minute per age of the child so I guess three minutes for Regina at the moment."

"Three minutes isn't very long."

"Not to us no. But if you think about it, to a toddler that would rather be playing and having fun it will seem like a life time."

"Okay well we will give that a go when she misbehaves then but what if she misbehaves with someone else? Will we tell them to do the same?"

"I think so." Snow nodded. "It would be best to be consistent with her don't you think?"

"Yes I think so." David agreed.

"Now with me teaching and you deputy at the sheriff's station what do we do with Regina then?" Snow asked.

"I'm sure we could find someone to look after Regina. or she could come into work with me and Emma." David suggested.

"Do you really think that would work David?" Snow asked eyebrows raised.

David shrugged. "I have no idea Snow. But we just have to try it. We will figure something out. One step at a time. We are both slightly unsure how to handle things with a toddler around, after all we never got that chance with Emma."

Snow sighed. "Yea, it would have been good to see Emma as a toddler wouldn't it?"

David smiled. "Yes it would have."

They spent a few moments in silence thinking about it and the chance they had lost. But they did not dwell on it for long knowing it would do neither of them any good. It was a time they could not get back with Emma but perhaps an experience they could have now with Regina.

"But I suppose we can see Regina as our chance at experiencing it now right?" David said with a smile on his face.

"Yes I guess we could." snow replied. It was then that they heard movement upstairs and they knew their piece was shattered and their discussions would have to end for the moment. They heard little feet bounding down the stairs and through into the living room. Snow turned round to see Regina stood their clutching Magic and rubbing her eyes. She smiled at Regina and held her arms open. "Hello sweetheart." Snow said softly and Regina ran over to her and climbed into her lap, cuddling into her. "Did you have a good nap?"

Regina nodded her head into Snow's chest. "Yes." She mumbled still waking up slightly. Snow ran her fingers through Regina's hair and rested back against the sofa and David couldn't help but smile as he watched her. Snow seemed to have fallen into being a mother so quickly. Her maternal instincts kicked in. "Mommy I wanna see Emma and Henry." Regina said sitting up in Snow's lap.

"You do? Why?" Snow asked.

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I just do." She replied simply and Snow realised that their probably wasn't a particular reason maybe just that Regina wanted to see her 'big sister' and her 'nephew'. "Can we go to grannies and get food with Emma and Henry?"

"Well how about daddy gives Emma a call and sees if she and Henry have eaten yet? And if not we can ask if they want to?" Snow suggested.

"Yea!" Regina squealed. She then looked over at David. "Please daddy."

David chuckled and leaned over for the phone. "Okay I'll phone. Why don't you let mommy help you get ready? We can go to grannies even if Emma and Henry have eaten."

"Okay daddy." Regina said hopping off Snow's lap. She then waited until Snow stood up and took her hand while they walked out of the room and upstairs.

David rested back on the sofa and waited until Emma picked up the phone. When she answered he smiled to himself. "Hi Emma…I'm fine, everyone's fine. I don't just phone you when something is wrong you know…Well okay yea but a lot was happening before…Anyway that is not why I phoned you today. Regina wants to see you and Henry and go to Grannies. Have you eaten…Perfect. We'll come by the loft and get you both…see you soon."

David hung up and replaced the phone. He then stood up and walked out of the living room and upstairs. He stood outside Regina's room and listened as she and Snow talked and giggled and he couldn't help but smile. He pushed the door open and saw that Regina was no longer in pyjamas and was back in her clothes this morning, a light pink long sleeved top and denim skirt with light pink tights and a pair of black patent shoes that had a bow on them.

"Emma and Henry haven't eaten so Emma said they would be happy to go to Grannies with us." David said announcing to his wife and child he was in the room.

"Yey!" Regina squealed jumping up and down happily. "Can we go now?" She asked running over to David and jumping into his arms when he held them out to her.

"Sure we can princess." David replied softly. "You ready Snow?" He asked moving Regina to sit on his hip as he looked over at Snow. She nodded and they all went out of the room and back downstairs. David put Regina down and he and Snow both put on their coats.

Snow then picked up Regina's blue mac which had daisies all over it and held it open for her. "Come on Regina come put your coat on." Regina ran over and put it on and let Snow button it up for her.

They then made their way out of the house, David locking up. They decided just to walk down to town as it was a very nice day. Regina held on to both David and Snow's hands all the way to Emma and Henry's and every so often David and Snow would swing her making her laugh. When they got to Emma and Henry's Regina decided she wanted to knock on the door and as soon as Emma opened the door Regina flung herself at Emma's legs and hugged them tightly.

"Oh hey kid." Emma said with a surprised tone. This was definitely a different greeting from what she would have got from the old Regina, although Emma couldn't deny it was a better greeting.

"Hi Emma." Regina said happily now looking up at Emma but still clutching her legs. "You and Henry coming to Grannies?"

"Yea we are kid." Emma smiled. She then turned slightly and shouted for Henry. He soon appeared and Regina finally let go of Emma's legs and ran to Henry, wrapping her arms around his and squealing his name happily making Emma, David and Snow laugh. "Aw cute. She's happy to see you kid."

"Yea, still not sure I have gotten used to this yet." Henry frowned. "Still very weird."

"You think this is weird when you live in a town full of fairytale characters from the enchanted forest?" Emma asked raising an eyebrow at him.

Henry shrugged. "Would you not find it weird?"

Emma thought about it for a moment and figured she probably would find it a little weird if her mother were turned into a toddler. "Fair enough kid. You ready to go?" Henry nodded and they both grabbed their coats and made their way out of the loft and were soon down stairs and back onto the street. Regina had decided that she now wanted to hold Henry's hand so they walked a little in front leaving Emma, David and Snow to talk.

"So you all settled into the loft then?" Snow asked her eldest daughter.

Emma nodded. "Yea. Henry and I seemed kind of settled. Although I was kinda living there with you before so was not much different for me."

"Yea but now it's your place." David added in.

"I guess so." Emma replied. "So how's living in the mansion? A far cry from the loft I am sure." Emma said with a chuckle on the end.

"Well yes it is much bigger." Snow laughed. "But it's alright. I'm not sure I'm quite used to it yet. I'm not sure I'm quite used to any of this yet. Regina had me up at about half past six this morning."

"Oh yea toddler's can do that." Emma laughed. "Discovered anything else about toddler's today?"

"Only that they can be very tiring." David laughed "But all in all it's been a good day. Regina has been very well behaved actually."

"That's good then." Emma smiled.

They reached Grannies and Regina ran over to a booth as soon as they entered. They all sat down, Regina sat in the middle of Snow and David and Emma and Henry sat opposite them just like the day before. They all looked at the menu and ordered with ten minutes of being there.

"Mommy can we sing the turtle song again?" Regina asked pulling on the sleeve of snows top.

"The turtle song?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea Emma it good." Regina declared. "Mommy Emma needs to hear."

"I'm not sure Emma really wants to hear it sweetheart." Snow said.

"Oh no I do." Emma smirked.

"Please Mommy." Regina said giving Snow her best puppy dog eyes.

Snow sighed knowing she couldn't say no to that face. "Okay then but you help me okay?"

"Okay mommy." Regina nodded.

"I had a little turtle…" Snow started and nodded to Regina.

"He name was tiny Tim, I puts him in the bath tub to sees if he could swim." Regina sang and Snow couldn't help the little giggle at how Regina sang the song.

"He drank up all the water…"

"And eat all the soap and now my little turtle has bubbles in his throat." Regina sang.

"Bubble bubble bubble, bubble bubble bubble, bubble bubble bubble, bubble bubble…" snow sang.

"POP!" Regina shouted clapping her hands together and laughing.

Emma, Henry and David laughed a little. "Wow kid that was good." Emma praised.

"You like it Henry?" Regina asked.

"Yea it was cool." Henry replied.

"Regina likes singing don't you?" David said and Regina nodded her head eagerly. "What was the one you were singing earlier Regina?"

Regina shrugged. "I can't remember daddy."

"It was 'two little dickie birds'" Snow added in.

"Ah yes. Regina tell Emma and Henry that one." David smiled.

"Okay." Regina said eagerly. She was more than happy to show off and perform. "Two little dickie birds sitting on a wall. Ones named Peter and ones named Paul. Fly away Peter, Fly away Paul. Comes back Peter, Comes back Paul." Once Regina was finished they all clapped and she gave a curtsey that made them all laugh.

"Your good kid, isn't she Henry?" Emma said nudging Henry.

"Yea you are Regina." He smiled.

"Thanks you." Regina smiled. "I knows lots more."

"Well I think maybe that's enough just now Regina. Look there is our food." Snow said pointing as Ruby was bringing over there food.

Regina sat down and they all ate their food, talking here and there with Regina adding in little comments which usually made them laugh. Emma watched Snow and David with Regina and couldn't help but notice how good they were with her and it made her wonder just what she had missed out on growing up. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous. When she was little she would have given anything to have her mother and father. To have what Regina had right now. Emma shook her head. She couldn't think of that now. She had put all the bad feelings behind her. She had decided to just get on with it and send the time she had now with her mom and dad, and now she had a little sister and she had her son. Things had worked out for her in the end.

"Mommy I need toilet." Regina said.

"Oh okay. I'll take you." Snow said about to get up but Regina stopped her.

"No mommy I go myself. I a big girl." Regina insisted.

"I know you are a big girl honey but I think I should take you just in case." Snow said.

However Regina just shook her head. "I be fine mommy."

Snow looked up at David who shrugged. "One of us will go check on her if she is not back in at least ten minutes." He suggested.

Snow nodded. "Alright Regina off you go."

Regina jumped down off the seat and ran through to the bathroom. Granny and Ruby came over to the table and Ruby began to move the empty plates from the table. "So how's it going with toddler Regina?" Granny inquired.

"It's going alright." David replied.

"Yes everything is good actually." Snow added. "She really is lovely at this age Granny. Very cute with many looks that would make the hardest person melt."

"Hard to believe having seen the old Regina." Granny snorted.

"Oh wait until you experience this Regina." David laughed. "Not quite like the old Regina, although she is still quite stubborn and can fight an argument."

"Yes she can do that, although we have only experienced that once for now." Snow said.

"Well I am sure it won't be long before you experience that again." Granny said.

"No I'm sure it won't be, but hey that's a toddler for you." Snow shrugged.

"Very true." Granny nodded. "Ruby was a nightmare." Granny said just as Ruby came back over.

"Oh thanks Granny." Ruby said rolling her eyes.

"You were child. Kept me on my toes that's for sure. Always off gallivanting when you shouldn't have been. I'm not surprised went grey haired so early." Emma laughed at this and the fact Ruby had gone bright read with this. As did David and Snow.

Snow then looked down at her watch. "I think I should go see if Regina is alright. She's been gone for a while now."

"Oh don't you worry dear. I will go see to her. Ruby sort out everyone's desserts. I presume you know what Regina will eat?" Snow nodded and watched as Granny walked off towards the toilets. Granny pushed the door open and looked in to see Regina stood in front of the sinks, on her tip toes to try and reach in. "Regina are you alright in here?" Granny asked as she walked in.

Regina looked over and shook her head. "No Granny." She said with a frown. "I can't reach." She pointed to the sink.

Granny chuckled and walked over to the small child. "Would you like some help?" Regina nodded and Granny leaned down and lifted Regina up so that she could now reach the sink. Regina put some soap on her hands and washed her hands under the tap. Granny then took her over to dry her hands and then put her down on the floor.

"Thanks you Granny." Regina said smiling up at Granny and giving her a look that would really melt anyone's heart.

Granny couldn't help but smile back. _Damn they were right. She does have a look and smile that would make anyone melt. _


	6. Chapter 6

The day had come where both Snow and David were to work and because David was working Emma was taking the morning off. This of course had spurred Snow and David to ask their eldest daughter if she would mind taking care of Regina and Emma had agreed.

Snow turned up early in the morning Regina in tow dressed in jeans with a red Minnie mouse top, her light blue mac that was covered in daises and a pair of black trainers that had glitter at the toe. "Morning Emma. Sorry to have you up so early when you are not working this morning." Snow smiled as they stepped into the loft.

"It's alright. I'm looking forward to spending some time with the kid." Emma said looking over at Regina who seemed as high as a kite for the early morning.

"Yes well I have given her some breakfast. Here is her bag…" Snow said holding up a white back pack that had love hearts and flowers all over it and pink straps. "There is a couple of changes of clothes just in case. A few snacks and she has her Sippy cup in there and she also has Magic her unicorn for when she goes for a nap."

Emma nodded. "Okay." She looked down at Regina who was skipping around the room and singing. "Does she always have that much energy?"

Snow looked in the same direction as Emma and laughed. "It seems so. Although if you take her out to the park before her nap that seems to tire her out. I think it's all the fresh air and running around."

"Right I will do that then." Emma said making Snow laugh. "And…well I hate to ask but what do I do if she misbehaves?"

"Oh yes I did mean to say to you." Snow said. "David and I have discussed this and we are doing a time out. She isn't a big fan of it but that's a good thing as we don't really want her to like it." Snow chuckled. She then continued. "You just sit her down on a step or chair or in a corner, any will be suitable and she sits there for three minutes and thinks about what she has done wrong. After the three minutes are up you ask for an apology from her. If she gives you one then have a hug and she can leave time out and have fun again. If she doesn't give you an apology she stays in time out until she does give you one." Snow explained.

Emma nodded trying to take in everything Snow had just explained to her. She thinks she took it all in but she is not exactly sure. "Okay. Time out in a chair, or on a step or in a corner for three minutes. Apology then hug and have fun, no apology then stay in time out until you get an apology." Emma repeated. "I think I got it."

Snow smiled. "Good." Snow looked at her watch and then gasped as she saw what the time was. "Oh gosh I better get going before I'm late. Regina?" Snow called and Regina came running over to Snow. Snow wrapped her arms round her and kissed the top of her head. "You be a good girl for Emma okay? and I will see you later."

"I will mommy." Regina smiled.

"See you later Emma." Snow called as she left the loft.

Emma turned and looked down at Regina who was looking up at her with a big smile on her face. Emma had no idea what she was going to do with Regina all day. She didn't have that much experience with toddlers although she supposed she had a little from living in homes with some when she was growing up. She put her hands in her pockets of her jeans and watched as Regina copied her making her laugh. "So kid what do you wanna do?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know."

"Wanna watch some TV for a bit and then go to the park a little later on?" Emma asked.

"Okay Emma." Regina smiled.

* * *

><p>By late morning Regina was bored with the TV and nagged Emma to take her to the park like she had said. Emma eventually did and while she was there had bumped into Ruby. They both got to talking leaving Regina to run around the park and run off some steam, well so Emma hoped.<p>

Regina skipped around the park trying to think about what she wanted to do. There was so much to do at the park that she finding it hard to chose. She then frowned as she walked round the big climbing frame and saw a group of older kids being mean to a smaller child. She walked over to them and into the middle where the smaller child was, although the smaller child was probably no older than she was.

"Hey, leave her alone." Regina demanded with a glare on her face. A glare to match one of the Evil Queen.

The older children laughed. "And who are you to tell us what to do?" One asked.

"Yea squirt get outta the way!" Another shouted and pushed Regina slightly.

"You mean!" Regina shouted. "You shouldn't be mean to others, or you get a time out."

The older children started laughing again. They couldn't believe this little child was telling them off and threatening them with a time out. Who did she think she was?

"Oh shut up stupid." One of them said. They all then began to move in toward the two of the smaller children.

Regina looked around all of them not sure what to do next. This perhaps had not been a good idea. But she stood her ground and kept a glare on her face. Another boy then burst through the circle of older children and stood in front of the two children.

"Hey pick on someone you own size!" The boy shouted.

"And who the hell are you?" One of the older kids asked.

But before the young boy could answer Regina heard Emma's voice. "Regina? Hey get away from her you lot!" The older children scattered the three younger children just stood there. Emma ran over and crouched down in front of Regina. "Regina you okay?"

Regina nodded her head. "Yes Emma. I help this girl and then this boy saved us."

Emma looked to the little girl beside Regina and then to the boy on the other side of Regina. "What's your name sweetie?" Emma asked the little girl.

"Rose." she said quietly. "But my mommy calls me Tink."

Emma smiled. "Do you know where your mommy is?" Rose nodded her head and pointed over to one of the many benches in the park where a small woman with blonde curly hair was sat. Emma satisfied knowing the little girl was not lost then turned to the boy. "So you saved them eh? What's your name young man?"

"I'm Robin." the boy said proudly sticking his chest out making Emma chuckle.

"Well thank you very much for saving Regina and Rose Robin. You are most brave." Emma said making the boy even prouder of himself. "Do you know where your mom and dad are?"

"Yes they over there." the boy said pointing towards the pond.

once again satisfied that the child was not lost Emma relaxed. She stood up. "Okay now you are all okay I'm going to go back over there. Regina call me if you need me okay?"

"Okay Emma." Regina said. Emma then walked off leaving the three children alone. Regina then turned to Robin. "Thanks you for saving me Robin."

"It's okay." He said blushing slightly.

"You like a knight." Regina said happily. She then turned to Rose. "Would you like to play? We could be bestest friends."

"Okay." Rose smiled.

"Me too?" Robin asked.

"Course Robin. Come on." Regina said running off with Rose and Robin following her. They ran over to the climbing frame and began to climb up. They were laughing and shouting and playing whatever games they could come up with.

Emma watched on with a big smile on her face. She nudged Ruby and motioned with her head over to Regina, Rose and Robin. "Look at that she's made some friends."

"Aw look how cute they all are. She seems to like that boy." Ruby said raising an eyebrow and laughing.

"Ruby she is only three." Emma laughed rolling her eyes.

"Doesn't hurt to have a boy in sight." Ruby said.

"Robin come saves us!" Regina shouted as she and Rose pretended that a monster was after them and the brave knight had to come and save them. Of course Regina was the princess and Rose wasn't quite sure who she was, she was just glad to be playing with them.

"I'm on my way!" Robin shouted back and ran up the steps, up the climbing frame to the girls. He pretended to fight off the monster, however not using a sword but a bow and arrow. "Got him!"

"Yey!" The girls squealed and ran over to Robin and hugged him causing them to fall on the ground and laugh.

"Regina! Come on it's time to go home." Emma called from the bottom of the climbing frame.

"Aww. No Emma I wanna stay here." Regina whined as she looked down from the climbing frame.

"No Regina. We need to go. Come on." Emma said back.

Regina sighed. "I gots to go." She said sadly.

"Wait you need to meets my mommy nows you my best friend." Rose said. Regina nodded and they climbed down off the climbing frame with Robin following them.

"Emma Rose wants me to see her mommy cause I her best friend." Regina said.

"Okay." Emma sighed. "But after that we go okay? Now say goodbye to Robin."

"Bye Robin." Regina said and lunged forward hugging him. "See you later."

"Bye Regina." He said waving.

Emma then took the girls over to Rose's mom who looked up as soon as they approached. "Mommy looks I have a best friend." Rose called as she ran up to her mother.

"Oh you do?" She asked happily.

"Yes mommy. Her name Regina." Rose said introducing Regina.

Regina stood in front of the woman with a big smile on her face. The woman then looked up at Emma who gave a little smile. "Regina helped Rose out, some bigger kids were being a bit mean." Emma said breaking the ice a little.

"Oh they were?" The woman said worry showing on her face. She then turned to look back at Regina. She knew very well who this little girl had once been but if she had helped her daughter who was she to not be polite to the young girl. "Well thank you Regina for helping Rose."

"It okay. She my best friend." Regina replied the smile never leaving her face.

"Yea mommy." Rose added in.

"Well I am glad you have a best friend sweetheart." The woman said happily. She looked up at Emma. "She is a shy girl. Doesn't normal speak to others very well."

"Ah well Regina as I'm sure you well know is not very shy." Emma laughed.

"Yes." The woman laughed.

"Mommy I wants Regina to come to my house." Rose said tugging on her mother's arm.

"Not today sweetie. But maybe another day."

"Okay." Rose replied sadly.

"Right Regina so goodbye to Rose then and we will head off." Emma said.

Regina said her goodbyes and Emma did too and then they made their way back to the loft. Emma then gave Regina a quick bite to eat and suggested perhaps it was time for a little nap. Regina was not so sure about this but when Emma placed Regina in her big bed with Magic and read her a story Regina was out like a light within about ten minutes. Emma smiled at her small victory and quietly made her way out of her bedroom.

The day had gone easily and she had yet to put Regina in a time out, which she hoped she could get through the rest of the day without doing. She had dreaded telling Regina they had to leave the park in case she had kicked off but she was surprised when there was minimal fuss. She flopped down on the sofa and flicked through the TV channels. She would rest for a bit while Regina napped. Prepare herself for when Regina woke up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi there! I hope you are all still enjoying this. In this next chapter is part of an idea from a reader. I hope everyone likes it and enjoys the chapter. Let me know!**

* * *

><p>An hour had passed since Regina had been put down for a nap and Emma was surprised to find that she was still fast asleep. Ruby had stopped by after the park as well deciding to finish herself and Emma's conversation back at Emma's loft. Emma came back down stairs from checking Regina and flopped back down on the sofa.<p>

"Still asleep I am guessing?" Ruby asked.

Emma nodded. "Yea I'm surprised I thought she would have been up by now."

"So how are things really Emma?" Ruby asked making Emma look at her with a confused frown.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean is everyone really coping as well as they make out with little Regina? How is Snow and David? How is Henry and how are you?"

Emma sighed. "Snow and David seem fine with it. Slowly getting used to having a toddler around. They seem to be enjoying it actually. Like it's not only Regina's second chance but theirs. I suppose that's how they see it."

"And Henry?"

"Henry still finds it weird but anyone would. Regina had raised him for ten years and then all of sudden she is a toddler. Not exactly your every day thing. But he seems to be getting on well with her." Emma shrugged.

"And what about you?" Ruby asked. "How are you feeling about it all?"

Emma sighed. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. "I don't know. I'm happy Regina is getting this chance to start over. Wipe away all that she done I suppose."

"But?"

"But I can't help the niggling feelings I get when I see her with Snow and David." Emma said quietly just staring straight out in front of her. Staring at nothing in particular. "I guess a jealous feeling in a way. There's Regina who let's face it was the cause of why my mom and dad had to send me away in that stupid magic wardrobe, she gets a chance to live life over. To have a loving mother and father, _my _loving mother and father and what do I get? I know that little Regina has no idea what she done, but I just…when I see them together I can't help those niggling feelings."

Ruby placed a hand on Emma's knee and gave her a comforting smile. "Emma it's natural to feel that way. Nobody would blame you for feeling that way. It must be difficult."

"You see the thing is…before all this…" Emma gestured with her hand. "I never saw them as my mom and dad. Even though I knew they were. I thought it was too late for that. I am a grown up and being like that with them would be weird but then I look at Regina and I wish I had that. I know that they both love me…geese they tell me often enough but…"

"You wish you had what Regina had right now?" Ruby interrupted.

"I guess." Emma sighed. "I don't really know what I want. I suppose I could say that I do not want to be turned back into a toddler." Ruby laughed a little at that. "I just think I will need some time to get used to it all and work my head round it. Not exactly something you can except right away."

"You have all done a great job of falling into it though. I mean Snow and David are great with Regina and you were great with her today." Ruby said.

Emma smiled. "I guess I was. I'm sure we will all be fine." Still Emma couldn't get rid of the little feelings of jealousy. She hadn't had her parents around her growing up. She didn't have what Regina was going to have from her parents. She sighed and Ruby decided she should leave. Emma showed her out and turned on her heel as she heard a little voice from behind her.

"Emma…" Regina said sweetly, clutching magic and rubbing her eyes.

Emma walked over and crouched down in front of Regina. "You alright kid?" Emma asked.

"I not tired no more." Regina said making Emma smile slightly. She might feel a little jealous of Regina. She might wish she had a chance with her parents like Regina did right now but as she looked into the big brown eyes of the little girl she knew there was no way she could hate or dislike her for any of that. She could live with the little bit of jealousy. She could push it down so that she could perhaps forget about it in a way. "Can we watch TV?" Regina asked.

"Yes sure kid." Emma said lifting Regina up and carrying her over to the sofa. She gently threw her down onto the sofa making her laugh. "You want something to eat? How about some popcorn?"

"Yes please Emma." Regina said with a big grin on her face.

* * *

><p>Later on that afternoon Snow picked Regina up from Emma's and decided to take her to the hairdressers for her first hair cut. This made Regina very excited and she couldn't wait to get there. When they got their Snow helped Regina sit on the chair and both the hairdresser and Snow crouched down to be at Regina's level.<p>

"Okay Regina what can I do for you today? How would you like your hair?" The female hairdresser asked.

"I want my hair short like mommy's." Regina said excitedly bouncing up and down on the chair and clapping her hands.

"Oh Regina are you sure?" Snow asked frowning a little. Although she was flattered and loved the fact Regina wanted her hair like hers she wasn't sure if it would be the right thing for Regina.

"Yes mommy." Regina said nodding her head. "Hair like yours."

The hairdresser looked over to Snow silently asking what she was to do. Snow sighed and nodded to go ahead with it hoping it would not be a mistake. Around an hour later the haircut was finished and Snow and the hairdresser waited to see Regina's reaction. Regina smiled and turned round to look at Snow.

"Nice mommy?" Regina asked.

"Of course honey you look lovely." Snow smiled as she leaned down to Regina. "Do you like it?"

"Yes mommy." Regina said happily.

"Okay, well lets go home then." Snow smiled. After paying for the haircut they headed home and Regina decided she wanted to watch a movie. After much deliberation she finally decided on _Tangled. _Snow put the movie on and Regina sat on the sofa with magic and a blanket while Snow busied herself tiding the house.

When any song came on Regina would get up and dance around and sing, pretending to be Rapunzal. She twirled around and when she stopped she caught her reflection and frowned. Putting her hand on her head she pulled at her short hair her frown becoming deeper. She couldn't be Rapunzal if she had short hair. She couldn't play her game now she had short hair. It was then that she decided that she didn't like her new hair any more. She wanted her old hair back. She ran out of the living room and through to the kitchen where Snow was tiding.

"Mommy I don't like it!" Regina said pulling on Snow's arm.

"You don't like what Regina?" Snow asked. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like it mommy." Regina said putting her hands back on her hair. "I don't want my hair short anymore."

"What? Regina why?" Snow asked leaning down.

"I can't be Rapunzal now. Rapunzal don't have short hair. Mommy I want my old hair back." Regina demanded.

Snow sighed. This was going to be hard to explain. "Regina you can't have your old hair back. You have to wait until your hair grows."

"No mommy!" Regina shouted slightly. "No I want my old hair back!"

"Regina…"

Snow was just about to try and explain more to Regina when David walked in. "What's going on?" David asked. Regina ran over to David, tears now running down her face. David picked her up and held her close. "Hey princess, like the new hair."

"I no princess daddy. I can't be princess like Rapunzal with short hair. I don't like it daddy I want my other hair back!" Regina cried into David's shoulder.

David looked over to Snow and Snow shrugged a little. "I tried to explain that she can't have her old hair back but…well as you can see she isn't happy about it."

David looked down at Regina. "You can be a princess with short hair Regina. Your mommy is one and you are one."

"No daddy." Regina cried shaking her head more tears coming down on her face. "Need my other hair."

David looked back over to Snow. "Okay what do we do?" David asked. He had no idea how to handle this situation.

Snow shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. She seemed really happy about her hair earlier."

"Maybe it's just a phase?" David suggested.

Snow looked at Regina and bit her lip. She doubted that this was just a phase. Regina was really upset about not having her old hair and not being able to be Rapunzal and she now regretted letting her get her hair cut short. She should have gone with her gut feeling and not let her get it. "I don't think it is David. Look at her."

Regina had her head buried in David's chest and was crying her eyes out. He sighed. "Well what can we do? We can't just make her hair grow magically can we?"

Snow's eyes widened slightly as David said that as an idea popped into her head. "Maybe we can…"

David frowned. "What? How can we?"

"Come on. We need to go out." Snow said walking out the room with David quickly following behind her.

* * *

><p>David had followed Snow through the town with Regina clinging to his hip until they stopped outside of Gold's shop. He frowned and looked over at Snow. "You want to ask Gold for help?"<p>

Snow nodded her head. "He is probably the only person we can ask for help. Before we always had both Gold and…well…" Snow said looking down at Regina. "But now we only really have Gold who has magic and well maybe he has a way to help us and make Regina's hair grow quicker."

David sighed. He didn't really like going to Gold for help but if it was the only way they could make Regina happy again they would have to give it a go. "Okay lets go."

They walked into the shop and Gold looked up from behind the counter. "My my to what do I owe this pleasure of the Charming family."

"We need your help with something…" Snow started. "I need to know if there is any way that you could give Regina her old hair back, make it grow back to how it was before."

"Well I could but all magic comes with a price dearie." Gold smirked.

David rolled his eyes. "We know that." He sighed and looked down at Regina, her sad little face telling him he would make whatever deal Gold wanted if it helped her. "But as silly and unimportant as it may sound to others Regina is very upset with her new haircut and well it's important to her to have her longer hair so what do you want Gold?"

Gold looked down at Regina, her face red and blotchy from crying, her eyes still shining with tears. He was never one for being soft. Not many people could reduce him to being soft but as he looked at Regina he felt something. He sighed. He couldn't believe he was going to say this. "I don't want anything."

"What?" Snow asked frowning. "You don't want anything for it?"

He shook his head. "No dearie. This one is on me." And with a wave of his hand Regina's hair was back to the length it was before. Gold picked up a mirror and he held it in front of Regina. "Long hair for the princess." He said.

Regina gasped and a smile appeared on her face as she saw her hair was long once again. "My hair is back. Look mommy and daddy." Regina said happily.

Snow and David smiled at Regina and then David looked up at Gold. "Thank you." David then looked down at Regina who was running her fingers through her hair. "What do you say to Mr Gold Regina?"

Regina turned to look at Gold, her smile making her face bright. "Thank you Rumple." She said giving him a toothy grin.


	8. Chapter 8

With her hair now back to its longer length Regina couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. When they had gotten home she had put on her Rapunzal dress and danced around the house, happy that she could finally be the princess she wanted to be. David and Mary-Margaret couldn't help but smile as they watched her and they both decided perhaps next time Regina asked to get her hair cut short they would convince her not to.

"Seven am in the usual morning line up. Start on the chores and sweep till the floors all clean." Regina sang and danced around. "Polish and wax. Do laundry and mop and shine up. Sweep again and by then it's like seven fifteen. And so I'll read a book or maybe two or three. I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery. I'll play guitar and knit and cook and basically just wonder when will my life begin." Regina spun around on the spot.

David couldn't help the smile on his face. He turned to Mary-Margaret. "You know for a three year old she hasn't got a bad voice."

"I know. Regina was always a wonderful singer." Mary-Margaret replied. "Years ago when I was younger and she was…well you know…She used to sing to me. Lullabies that kind of thing. She had a wonderful voice. So soft. She used to sing when she was out tending to her apple tree as well. After a while though she just stopped." Mary-Margaret finished with a sad look on her face as she remembered how unhappy Regina became.

"Well this time around she won't." David said wrapping his arm around Mary-Margaret's shoulder.

She leaned into him for a moment and then looked up at the clock. "I better start on dinner. I invited Emma and Henry round."

"Oh. What time will they be here?" David asked.

"In about an hour or so." Mary-Margaret called back as she walked through to the kitchen.

David nodded and looked back over at Regina who was still singing and dancing. He smile and decided an hour or so was enough time to have some fun with his daughter and play whatever game she was currently playing. He walked further into the play room and he lifted Regina up from behind making her squeal and he spun her around loving the sound of her giggling ( something he never thought he would love was the sound of Regina giggling.) He placed her back down and sat down on the sofa that was in there and he pulled her up onto his knee. She cuddled into him and he held onto her tightly.

"Hi daddy." Regina said sweetly.

"Hi princess." David smiled. "What game are you playing today?"

"Princesses daddy. I Rapunzal and I locked in a tower waiting for my prince to rescue me." Regina explained.

"Can I play to?" David asked.

Regina nodded excitedly and jumped out of his arms. She straightened her dress out and then ran over to her toy box and pulled out a crown and a sword and ran back over to David with them. "You can be the prince daddy. You need to save me from the tower and then we's live happily eva after." David smiled and he placed the crown on his head and took the toy sword from her. He then stood up and Regina ran out of the room and David followed her and watched and she climbed up the stairs to the top and stood by the railings at the landing. "This the tower daddy. I trapped by mean lady and I needs my prince to saves me."

"Never fear my princess I shall save you." David said holding his sword up in the air.

Regina giggled happily. "Help me! Look out dragon!" She shouted and pointed.

David jumped round so he was facing the other way and pretended to be fighting with a dragon. Although it had been a long time since he had used a sword he had not lost the art of it (even if he was using a toy sword to fight a pretend dragon) he remembered all the moves to make and he was happy to do it for his daughter and her game. "Down beast. You shall not stop me from saving the princess." David shouted. He then jabbed the sword out into the air. "I have vanquished you beast."

"Yey!" Regina shouted happily jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "Now you need to try climb the tower daddy."

David turned round and looked up the stairs as if deciding the best way. He knew he was going to need to pretend there was obstacles in the way. He couldn't get to her that easy. He began to climb, stumbling a little and holding onto the banister. "I will save you my princess."

Mary-Margaret hearing all the commotion from the kitchen had went out to see what was going on and couldn't help but smile as she saw David pulling himself up the stairs and Regina sat on the landing in her princess dress waiting on him. She laughed to herself as he wore a crown on his head and a sword was sticking out from the belt loop in his jeans.

David reached the top of the stairs and he walked over to Regina and lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "My hero. My prince has come to saves me." Regina gushed and she hugged David tightly.

When Regina called him her hero he felt his heart flutter. He had always dreamed of hearing his daughter call him her hero and of course he had always thought of Emma doing so but the fact Regina had just said it to him did not make the moment any less special. He wasn't stupid. He knew he would probably never hear Emma say such a thing to him and he knew Regina was his and Mary-Margaret's second chance at raising a child so any moment like this one he would hold onto for a very long time.

"Of course I saved you my princess. Now let's get down from this tower." David played along and he carried Regina down the stairs and it was then that he noticed Mary-Margaret stood there with a big smile on her face. "Hi." He said with a goofy smile on his face.

"Hello there prince." Mary-Margaret replied. "Congratulations on saving the princess."

"Thanks you my queen." Regina replied for David and she wriggled in his arms to get down. He placed her down and she curtseyed. She then nudged David's leg. "Daddy you curtsey to the queen."

David nodded trying not to laugh and he bowed. "Thank you my queen. It was an honour to save the princess."

"I thinks we should have ice cream because daddy saves me from the tower." Regina suggested.

Mary-Margaret laughed. "Nice try Regina. Maybe after dinner."

"Not now?" Regina asked with a small frown on her face.

"No not now. After dinner. We don't eat sweets before dinner." Mary-Margaret explained.

"Okay." Regina sighed. "Daddy come on lets go play another game." Regina said pulling on David's arm and dragging him back through to the play room.

It was a little later on and now Emma and Henry had arrived. They had all sat around the table and had the delicious dinner that Mary-Margaret had made. Once it was finished they had some ice cream and then Mary-Margaret, David and Emma went into the living room and Regina dragged Henry through to her play room. She explained her princess game to him and demanded as nicely as she could that he were to be the prince and save her, just like she played with David. Henry of course was not very sure about this game but as Regina had given him the puppy dog eyes look he couldn't say no to her and found himself with a crown on his head and a toy sword in his hands.

They were now in the hallway, Henry had saved Regina from the tower and was now fighting off a terrible dragon. Henry went to jab the dragon and Regina rolled her eyes in her toddler way and sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Henrrryyyy. That's not how you kill a dragon. Do that!" Regina bossed as she showed him what to do.

"That's what I done." Henry answered.

Mary-Margaret, David and Emma all laughed as they watched Regina shake her head with a frown on her face. "No no. You didn't do it right. This way!" Regina said showing him again.

Henry stood up straight and rolled his eyes as he looked over to the three laughing adults. "I cannot believe she is still bossing me around and she is three years old now!" He mumbled. "Isn't she have suppose to have stopped bossing me around now she is a toddler?" Henry asked the adults.

"It isn't just mothers who can be bossy Henry. Toddler's can be quite bossy also. Regina…well she likes things done in a particular way when you play her games." Mary-Margaret explained.

"Yea her way." Henry mumbled.

"Henry you not watching." Regina frowned pulling on his arm. "You need to see how to kills the dragon so we's can run to the king and queen."

"Who is the king and queen?" Henry asked now looking down at Regina.

"Mummy and daddy of course." Regina said with a how did you not know face.

Henry nodded. "Alright." He sighed. "Let's get this dragon." He figured the quicker he listened and done exactly what Regina wanted him to the quicker the game would be over and he could go and sit down for a little bit. He still found the whole situation with his mother completely and utterly weird. His mother being turned into a toddler was perhaps just way out there on his understanding level. Finding out a whole town was filled with fairy tale characters was nothing compared to this situation. However he was beginning to come to terms with the whole thing. Although it was weird that he was now playing prince and princess' with his three year old mother he couldn't help but think she was very cute and quite fun to be around. He could probably get over the weird situation and get used to it after a while.

So he fought the dragon exactly the way Regina wanted him to. Once the dragon was defeated he lifted Regina up and they ran into the living room and Henry passed Regina over to Mary-Margaret and David. Regina cuddled into Mary-Margaret. "Mommy Henry saved me from the dragon." Regina said sweetly and then let out a little yawn, her little hand covering her mouth just like Mary-Margaret had taught her to.

"I am so glad my darling. What would we have done if the dragon had eaten you?" Mary-Margaret said playing along with Regina's game.

"You and daddy be very sad." Regina said with a serious face. They all tried to hold in their laughter as they saw just how serious Regina's face was.

"Yes we would have been sweetheart." Mary-Margaret smiled. She tucked some of Regina's hair behind her ear and watched as Regina rubbed her eyes and then yawned again. "I think it's time for somebody's bed time."

Regina shook her head quickly. "No no mommy. I'm not tired." Regina insisted but another yawn escaped, her body letting her down.

"Come on, let's go get ready for bed. We can have a story." Mary-Margaret suggested. "Go say goodnight to Emma, Henry and daddy."

"Okay mommy." Regina sighed. She slipped off Mary-Margaret's lap on the sofa and crawled over to David. She reached up and David pulled her onto his lap and she hugged him tightly. "Night daddy."

"Night my little princess." David said softly and kissed into her hair.

Regina then slipped off of David's lap and ran over to Emma and jumped up onto her lap. Emma laughed a little and Regina hugged Emma tightly and kissed her on the cheek. "Night Emma."

"Night Regina." Emma smiled. She still found it weird to not fight with Regina all the time and to have the former Evil Queen actually like her and she like her back.

Regina then turned to Henry and she wrapped her arms round him. "Night Henry. Thanks for saving me." She said sweetly.

"That's okay Regina. Any time." Henry smiled back. "Night night."

Regina ran back over to Mary-Margaret and jumped into her arms. Mary-Margaret took Regina upstairs and got her into some pyjamas. She then got Magic for Regina and tucked her into bed once Regina had chosen a book to read. Mary-Margaret sat on the edge of the bed beside Regina and wrapped her arm around the little girl and picked up the book she had chosen. "So what are we reading tonight then Regina?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Gruffalo!" Regina said excitedly.

"Okay then." Mary-Margaret smiled. She then began to read…"_A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood..._"


	9. Chapter 9

It came to it again that Mary-Margaret and David were both working and needed someone to look after Regina while they did so. Emma this time was working on a case with David so they had to find someone else that would look after Regina. They turned to one of the only other people they could think of, Granny. After much persuasion from Mary-Margaret, telling Granny that Regina would be on her best behaviour and if she wasn't explaining the best way to discipline her Granny finally agreed. So here Mary-Margaret was dropping Regina off who had decided she was going to be a fairy princess today and was wearing her fairy costume and wings over her clothes and trying to explain to Granny everything Regina had and needed.

"Okay so Regina has her backpack here." Mary-Margaret said holding up the purple backpack. "in here is her sippy cup with some orange juice, a few little snacks, her colouring book and pens and a couple of dolls. Oh and her magic wand. As you can see she is a fairy princess today." Mary-Margaret said motioning down to Regina who gave Granny a big toothy grin. "She usually goes down for a nap after lunch time. It can sometimes be quite a struggle and if it takes you more than twenty minutes to get her to go to sleep I would just forget about the nap as usually it will not happen."

Granny nodded her head taking in everything Mary-Margaret had said and now holding Regina's purple backpack. "And if she misbehaves?" Granny asked.

"Time out is the method David and I have been using. We have luckily not had to use it to often as a warning seems to usually suffice with Regina at the moment but if she really pushes it, place her on a time out for three minutes. once the three minutes are done ask for an apology. If she gives you one great, if she doesn't then she stays in time out until she gives one but she always will apologise." Mary-Margaret explained and Granny nodded her head. "Okay I think that is everything." She then crouched down to Regina's height and smiled at the little girl. She fussed over her, fixing her hair a little. "Right Regina I want you to be a good girl for Granny okay? Do everything she tells you."

"Yes mommy." Regina said sweetly.

Mary-Margaret smiled and placed a kiss on Regina's cheek before standing up and facing Granny. "Thank you again for this Granny. I will be back to pick Regina up after school providing David doesn't get finished any earlier."

"It's fine girl. Now off you go." Granny said ushering Mary-Margaret out of the diner. Granny closed the door behind her and then turned round to face the little girl. Regina just smiled up at her, her hands behind her back and moving back and forth on her feet. "So child are you going to come and help me in the kitchen?" Granny asked.

Regina nodded her head excitedly and quickly walked over to Granny. "Yes Granny." She said and then lifted her arms up indicating she wanted the older woman to lift her up.

"Something wrong with those little legs of yours?" Granny asked as she looked down at the small child.

Regina frowned and looked down at her little legs and then back up at the older woman. "I don't think so…" Regina replied. "I just want up."

"Oh do you now?"

Regina nodded her head. "Daddy carries me all the time when I want to cause I is his pwincess." Regina said happily.

Granny nodded her head. "Are you really?" She said as she began to walk towards the kitchen area with Regina close at her heels. She couldn't deny it was weird seeing the former Evil Queen in the form of a cute child. She had always thought Regina to be a beautiful woman and suspected as a child she would have been equally as beautiful and also cute but actually seeing it she still couldn't get over it.

"Yes. Daddy says I is the best pwincess ever." Regina replied. She then walked around the kitchen looking around her wondering what she could play with in here. She walked over to the stove and was just about to turn something when she felt a hand on her little shoulder. She turned a little to look at Granny.

"You mustn't touch this Regina okay? This stove will be very hot and we don't want to get burnt do we?" Granny said.

Regina shook her head. "No mommy says that's bad and Emma said so to."

"Well mommy and Emma are right. So you promise me you will not touch this?" Granny said motioning to the stove.

"I promise." Regina said holding out her pinkie. Granny frowned and looked down at the little pinkie the girl was holding out. "Pinkie promise. Me and Emma does it." Regina said and pulled Granny's hand over to hers. She gently pulled out the older woman's pinkie and pressed it against her own one. She then pushed on Granny's finger so that she bent it round her one. She smiled up at the older woman and the older woman couldn't help the smile back.

* * *

><p>As the day went on Granny was busy rushing around the kitchen making all the orders. Regina had done some colouring, played with her dolls and had even played at being a fairy princess but soon got bored with all the games and had taken off her fairy princess outfit and wings deciding she was not a fairy princess anymore. She had asked Granny lots of questions and soon found Granny didn't like all the questions while she was busy so turned to go and ask Ruby all the questions she wanted to know. She followed Ruby around behind the counter and even when she went to take orders from the tables, Ruby telling her she can be her helper.<p>

"Ruby wait I coming to." Regina called as she saw Ruby about to exit from behind the counter to go take an order from a table. Ruby stopped and waited as Regina ran over to her. Regina held her hand up to Ruby indicating Ruby to take it. Ruby did so and she took Regina over to the table of dwarfs to get their order. Regina looked up at them all ad noticed one in particular was very grumpy. "Why you so grumpy?" Regina asked making the other dwarfs and Ruby giggle at the little girls forwardness.

"What?" Grumpy huffed as he turned his attention to the little girl.

"You so grumpy. Not good to be grumpy." Regina said.

"Regina…" Ruby started to say but Regina continued to talk.

"Mommy always say turn that frown upside down." Regina declared loudly making everyone close by laugh.

"Trust Snow White to teach her that one. When'd the Evil Queen become so positive?" Grumpy muttered loudly. Ruby nudged him with a frown and shake of her head.

Regina gave a confused look. "I not evil and I not a queen either. My daddy says I is a pwincess." She said with a glare and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Yea grumpy, god!" Ruby said dramatically with a roll of her eyes. "Don't you know anything?" she said making Regina giggle a little. "Now guys what's your order?"

Regina listened for a little bit as the dwarfs started to order their food but she soon got bored. She looked around her seeing some people she knew, only because her mommy, daddy and big sister would stop to talk to them but her eyes lit up as soon as she saw a familiar little boy and his parents walk into the diner. She squealed causing Ruby to look down and she began to run across the diner over to where Robin stood with his parents causing Ruby to run after her slightly.

"Robin!" Regina shouted excitedly and as soon as she reached him she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.

"Hi Regina!" Robin said equally excited to see her.

Ruby stopped and looked down at the sweet little moment between the two children and then realised she should probably tell Regina off for running away from her. "Regina you shouldn't run off like that, even if we are only in the diner. You could have caused an accident." Ruby said sternly.

Regina bit her lip and looked down at the floor, not liking the fact she was being told off and a little embarrassed she was being told off in front of Robin. "Sorry." Regina mumbled looking back up at Ruby.

"That's okay." Ruby said giving her a smile.

Regina turned round to see a woman now crouched down beside Robin. "So you are Regina then?" The woman asked softly and Regina nodded her head happily giving the woman her best smile. "It is nice to meet you finally." The woman smiled back. The woman stood up and addressed Ruby. "Robin hasn't stopped talking about his little friend he met in the park. I have to admit I wasn't so sure about it when he said her name was Regina. After all…you know." The woman said.

Ruby nodded her head. "I know…but she is not…well she isn't _her _anymore." Ruby explained. She knew it would be hard for people to see past the Evil Queen and just see Regina.

"Mom can I go play with Regina? Please, please, pleaseee?" Robin asked as sweetly as he could.

"Oh Robin, I don't know. We are here to have some lunch." The woman replied.

"Pleaseee mom?"

"They can play in the back room? Granny and I were just about to get some lunch for Regina, we could give Robin his lunch through there so he and Regina can play while you are here." Ruby suggested. Having Robin here to keep Regina entertained for a bit would help both herself and Granny get on with some work and not having to answer any of the little girls questions for a little bit.

"Well I guess that would be okay…What do you think?" The woman said turning to her husband who just nodded his head.

Ruby ushered the two children through to the back room and asked them what they wanted for lunch. Once they had both told her Ruby left them in the room, telling them both to behave. Regina turned to Robin. "Would you like to play with my dolls Robin?" Regina asked.

Robin screwed his face up a little. "I don't like dolls."

"Oh." Regina said a little in surprise. "How can you not like dolls?" She asked. Sometimes she couldn't understand boys.

Robin shrugged. "I just don't."

Regina nodded her head taking his answer. She then put on her thinking face, trying to think what they could do. "Would you like to colour in? I have my colouring book and pens with me. That can be fun."

"Okay." Robin agreed.

Regina ran over to her backpack and took out her colouring book and her pens. She placed them on the table and sat down. Robin sat down beside her. "Now we have to be careful cause mommy says that you always needs to put the tops back on once finished with the pens okay?" Regina bossed and Robin nodded his head. Regina then began to flick through the colouring book to find two pages that had not been coloured in. She finally found two pages, one of a teddy bear and one of a princess. "I'm going to colour the pwincess. You colour the teddy okay?"

"Okay." Robin agreed again.

They began to colour in. They talked every so often about the usual things children talk about, silly things that adults would probably not understand or just find plain funny but to them it was serious talk. They found that even at a young age they enjoyed one another's company. Once Regina had finished colouring in her princess she looked over at Robin.

"Would you like some help? You not finished." Regina said.

Robin shook his head. "Almost done." Regina nodded and she rested back a little. "Where you mommy and daddy?" Robin asked.

"They doing boring stuff." Regina sighed. "Mommy says I can't go when they do boring stuff and Emma is doing boring stuff to so I couldn't go see her."

Robin nodded his head. He put his pen down, making sure to put the top back on as he already had gotten a row from Regina and turned to face her. "Do you like playing cars?" He asked as he pulled a small car out of his pocket.

Regina screwed her face up, just like he had done when she asked about dolls. She shook her head. "Not really. Cars a boring boys stuff."

"They not boring. They cool." Robin huffed a little. "Girls are weird."

"Girls are not weird." Regina gave Robin a bit of a glare.

"Are too." Robin said loudly, standing up.

"Are not!" Regina said just as loudly and now standing up too. "Boys are weird."

"No girls are."

"No boys!"

"No no. Girls are!"

This argument continued for at least five more minutes before Ruby came in with their lunches and rolled her eyes at the two children fighting. She placed the plates on the table and crouched down in-between them deciding to break the fight up now before it got any worse. She had a hunch that no matter how small Regina would be able to handle herself.

"Okay what is going on?" Ruby asked.

"Robin said girls are weird." Regina huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "And he doesn't like playing dolls."

Ruby nodded and then turned to Robin who mirrored Regina's stance and said "R'gina said boys are weird and she don't like cars."

"Okay well neither boys or girls are weird okay? Regina…" Ruby said turning to Regina. "It's okay if Robin doesn't like playing dolls. Not everyone likes playing with dolls and Robin…" Ruby said now turning to Robin. "It's okay that Regina doesn't like playing with cars. Not everyone like playing with cars. It's okay. I am sure you can both find something else you both like to play. But first I want you both to eat your lunches okay?"

"Okay." They both said at the same time. They both sat down at the table and they quietly ate their lunches. Ruby walked out of the room and made a note to herself to go and check on them in half an hour or so to make sure they weren't fighting again.

Robin pushed his plate away, having eaten his lunch quickly and looked over at Regina who was not even half way through her lunch. He sighed and leaned back. "Do you want to colour another page?" He asked hoping his friend didn't hate him.

Regina looked over and gave him a little smile. It seemed all was forgotten. She nodded her head and pushed her plate away, not being a big eater. She pushed the colouring book towards Robin. "You choose this time."

"Okay." Robin smiled and flicked through the book and stopped on the first available pages for them and pushed the book a little closer to Regina. "You not weird." Robin declared.

"You not weird either." Regina responded. They smiled at one another and went to colouring in again.

* * *

><p>After a little while Robin had to go home with his mom and dad. Something neither Robin or Regina were pleased about. Now Regina was back to following Granny around until finally Mary-Margaret walked into the diner to pick Regina up.<p>

"Mommy!" Regina cried happily and ran over to Mary-Margaret and jumped into her arms.

Mary-Margaret laughed and caught Regina in her arms. She hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "Hi sweetie. Have you been a good girl today?" She asked.

"Yes mommy. I helped Granny and Ruby and I gots to play with Robin again." Regina explained excitedly.

"You did? Wow." Mary-Margaret said dramatically for the little girl. "Sounds like you had lots more fun than mommy did." Ruby came over to greet Mary-Margaret and Mary-Margaret stood up. "Was she okay?" She asked, just checking Regina was telling the whole truth.

"She's been great." Ruby replied.

"Apart from all the damn questions." Granny called. "I have never known a child to ask so many questions."

"Oh yes." Mary-Margaret laughed. "She does that. She is very inquisitive. Wants to know about everything."

"Don't I know it." Granny replied causing Mary-Margaret and Ruby to laugh.

"She also put Grumpy in his place earlier." Ruby laughed.

"Oh god what did she say?"

"She asked why he was so grumpy and told him that he should turn his frown upside down."

"She didn't?" Mary-Margaret asked a little shocked.

Ruby nodded her head. "Everyone thought it was hilarious. Well everyone except Grumpy obviously, but I am sure he was trying to hide at least a smile."

Mary-Margaret giggled. "That is probably my fault. I always tell her to turn her frown upside down."

"Yes she told us exactly where she got the phrase from." Ruby replied. "Oh and her and Robin, too cute."

"Really? Emma said that as well but I haven't seen them together. Maybe I will have to organise a play date or something."

"You should. I think in a few years time David will be having a talk with that boy about his intentions with his daughter." Ruby said nudging Mary-Margaret and winking.

"Oh Ruby. She is only three." Mary-Margaret laughed.

"Mommmyyyyy." Regina whined slightly pulling on Mary-Margaret's sleeve. "I wanna go." Regina said now standing with her coat and backpack on.

"Okay sweetie we're going. Say thank you to Granny and Ruby for looking after you."

"Thank you Granny. Thank you Ruby." Regina said sweetly.

"Thank you for looking after her. I'll see you later Ruby." Mary-Margaret said before taking Regina's hand and turning on her heel to leave.

It didn't take long for them to get home and as soon as the door was opened Regina ran inside the house. She took of her shoes and dropped her backpack down beside them and then quickly disappeared. Mary-Margaret done the same with her shoes and bag and then looked around her wondering where Regina had gone to. She heard a slight noise and turned to face the kitchen. Making her way into the room she saw Regina had managed to climb onto the counter and appeared to be raiding the sweetie cupboard.

"Regina what are you doing?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"I'm hungry mommy." came the reply as she peered round the cupboard door and looked at her mom, sweets in hand.

"Well dinner will be ready soon. Please put the sweets back." Mary-Margaret said.

"But mommy I am hungry now."

"Regina I will not ask again put the sweets back." Mary-Margaret said putting on a sterner voice.

"No." Regina huffed, now frowning and crossing her arms over her chest. She wanted the sweets and she wanted them now.

"If those sweets are not back in the cupboard by the time I count to three you will be in big trouble Regina." Mary-Margaret said angrily. Regina did not respond she just glared at her mother. "One…" Regina did not move. "Two…" Still Regina did not move. "Three…" Mary-Margaret watched as Regina turned her head away from her holding it high and still holding onto the sweets. it was not often Regina was this defiant. She presumed with everything that went on at the diner and the fact Robin had been there that Regina had not had her nap and when that happened, well Regina could sometimes not behave her best. Still that was no excuse and Mary-Margaret knew she was going to have to punish Regina. So time out it was. She stepped towards Regina and took the sweets out of her hand. "Okay Regina time out it is for you."

"NO MOMMY!" Regina shouted and did her best to scrabble away on the counter but Mary-Margaret was one step ahead of her and grabbed Regina before she moved. She carried Regina who was now kicking and screaming a little, out of the kitchen and over to the stairs.

She sat Regina down. "Okay Regina I am putting you here because you were not doing as you were told. You will stay here for three minutes." Mary-Margaret said in a stern voice and then stood up and walked away from a now crying Regina. She hated hearing the little girl cry. It might have only been a couple of months now since everything had happened but she looked at Regina as her daughter now. They had all fallen into a family so quickly, even Emma and Henry seemed to have done so even if they still found it hard to get their heads around it, more Henry than Emma, but still when she heard Regina cry and knowing she caused it she hated it but she knew she had to stand her ground and follow through with the punishment to teach Regina the lesson. So she walked away and went to begin getting dinner ready, setting the timer on the cooker so she knew when to go back to Regina.

Regina rested her arms and head on her knees and she cried and cried. She didn't like when her mommy was cross with her and put her on time out. Time out was no fun. She just wanted the sweeties. She was hungry and she didn't understand why her mommy was being so silly and not letting her have the sweets. But still she stayed on time out, having figured out a while ago that it was better just to stay on time out than to run out and get put back on for another three minutes. She cried her heart out for the whole three minutes, those three minutes feeling like so much longer, until Mary-Margaret came back through and knelt down in front of Regina.

"Regina look at me please." She said in a much softer voice, telling Regina she was not angry with her anymore. Regina lifted her head up showing Mary-Margaret her now tear stained face, blotchy and red. "Regina do you understand why you were put here?"

"Yes mommy." Regina mumbled looking at her lap.

"I want you to listen to mommy from now on okay?" Mary-Margaret said lifting Regina's head up gently with her fingers under her chin.

"Okay." Regina mumbled again.

"What do you say now?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"I'm sorry mommy." Regina said crying a little more again.

"It's alright Regina. Come here give me a hug." Mary-Margaret said showing Regina that she was forgiven for her behaviour and that her mommy wasn't angry with her anymore. Regina moved off of the step and into Mary-Margaret's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck and snuggled her head into her shoulder still crying a little. Mary-Margaret rubbed her hands over Regina's back soothingly. "Shh now sweetie." She said softly. She then pulled away slightly and held Regina's small face in her hands using her thumbs to wipe the stray tears away. "Why don't you come and help me make dinner for daddy coming home?"

"Okay mommy." Regina said now smiling.

Mary-Margaret stood up with Regina in her arms and balanced her on her hip. She took her through to the kitchen and gave her a little task as they set about making dinner.


	10. Chapter 10

Mary-Margaret, David and Regina were now all sat at the table eating their dinner. Regina was telling David all about her day at the diner with Granny and Ruby and David acting excited and everything in all the right places which made Regina very happy.

"It was so much fun daddy. I thinks Robin is my best friend." Regina said happily.

"Oh really?" David asked. He then looked at Mary-Margaret. "I think we need to meet this Robin." David said in an over protective father mode.

Mary-Margaret laughed a little. "They are both toddlers David you have nothing to worry about." Mary-Margaret then turned to Regina. "What about Rose, Regina? I thought she was your best friend."

"She is. But I haves two best friends." Regina declared.

Mary-Margaret nodded. She knew she had to let David know about what had happened with Regina and her time out before he had gotten home and she hated to turn the conversation sour but Regina had to know what she had done was wrong and that her parents were together on the whole thing. "Regina I think we should let daddy know about what happened earlier when we came home, don't you?"

Regina looked up at that and bit her lip, shaking her head a little. She didn't want to tell her daddy what had happened. She didn't want her daddy to be angry with her. "No mommy." Regina whined a little. "I no want to tell daddy."

"Tell me what?" David asked taking a bite of his dinner and looking from Mary-Margaret and Regina.

"Regina do you want to tell daddy or shall I tell him?" Mary-Margaret asked giving Regina the choice.

Regina huffed a little at her choices. She didn't like any of them. Neither of them were what she wanted. She looked down at her dinner trying to decide what would be best. "I was silly daddy." She mumbled still looking down at her dinner, her lip pouted and a sad look on her face.

"Oh dear. What happened?" David asked.

Regina looked up, looking from Mary-Margaret and David. "I not listen to mommy." She mumbled again and looked back down at her dinner.

David looked at Mary-Margaret for a bit more information. "Regina didn't listen to me earlier when I told her she couldn't have sweets before dinner. So we had to go in time out, didn't we Regina?" Regina just nodded her head, her sad face making David wince a little as all he wanted to do was go over and hug the little girl. She had him wrapped around her little finger already and he knew it.

"Yes. But I says sorry." Regina said quickly trying to redeem herself in her daddy's eyes. "And I then help mommy make dinner cause I was sorry."

David then cleared his throat knowing Mary-Margaret expected him to show Regina that they were a united force in this and he wanted to show that to Regina as well, even if her cute little face did sometimes make him falter. "Well Regina I am very disappointed to hear that you didn't listen to mommy earlier." He started and Regina dropped her head, her lip wobbling a little and he was sure he could see a glistening of tears in her eyes which made him a little weak but when he looked at Mary-Margaret she gave him a look to continue. So he took a breath and continued. "We should always listen to mommy, shouldn't we Regina?"

"Yes daddy." Regina replied quietly not looking up at him. "I says sorry to mommy."

"I know you did Regina and I am very happy that you did your time out like a big girl and said sorry to mommy for your silly behaviour. Now I think from now on we will listen to mommy when she says no, won't we?" David said bringing Regina's face up to look at him gently with two fingers under her chin. He could see she indeed had tears in her eyes and her lip was pouted.

"I will daddy. I promise." Regina replied.

"Good girl." David said giving her a soft smile to show her he wasn't angry. A smile that she soon returned. "Now are you finished Regina?" He asked motioning to her plate. He looked at it to see she had not finished her food and in fact had barely eaten half of the dinner. He noted that he had never noticed quite how little Regina had eaten before now.

"Yes daddy. I'm finished." Regina said pushing her plate away a little.

David looked round to Mary-Margaret and mouth 'ice cream' to her but she shook her head and he knew why she didn't want Regina to have it, her earlier behaviour. He was more upset because he really wanted it but he guessed he could wait until Regina was in bed before he had some. "Okay, I'll go do the dishes then." He said standing up and beginning to clear the table.

"Mommy?" Regina asked as she slipped off the chair and walked over to Mary-Margaret.

"Yes Regina?"

"Can I watch some TV please?" Regina asked, giving Mary-Margaret one of the sweetest looks she was sure she had ever seen.

"Of course sweetie." Mary-Margaret replied. Regina ran off and Mary-Margaret went through to the kitchen to help David with the dishes

* * *

><p>It was half past eleven and Mary-Margaret and David had enjoyed the bit of quiet time they had managed to get before they both decided they wanted to go to bed. Mary-Margaret pulled on her pyjama top and let a big smile fall onto her face as David wrapped his arms around her from behind. He began to kiss up her neck and she rested into him, enjoying being in his arms.<p>

"You know I was thinking…" David started to say in between kisses. "We haven't…you know…since everything that has happened…"

"Mmmm." Mary-Margaret mumbled.

"What would you say to fooling around?" He asked making Mary-Margaret laugh a little.

She turned round in his arms and wound her arms round his shoulders and crashed her lips onto his. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip asking for entrance that he gladly granted her and their tongues danced together as the kiss grew more and more heated as time went on. David began to push Mary-Margaret backwards slightly and their hands began to fumble over one another. She felt her legs hit the bed and just as they were about to fall onto the bed they heard a little voice behind them making them jump apart.

"Mommy, daddy I no feel well." Regina said sadly and tiredly as she rubbed her eyes.

"Oh princess what's wrong?" David asked as he pulled away from Mary-Margaret and walked over to Regina. Regina opened her mouth to answer but started coughing. Mary-Margaret and David winced as the cough sounded very dry and quite sore on the child's throat. David turned to Mary-Margaret. "Did she have that cough earlier?"

"I noticed she was coughing a little earlier and had a bit of a runny nose but put it down to just a common cold that most children get." Mary-Margaret shrugged and walked over to them. She crouched down to take a look at Regina. She could see that Regina seemed to have a drowsy, ill look about her. Her eyes were watering, her nose running. She was still coughing . Mary-Margaret pressed her hand to Regina's head and could feel that she definitely had a fever. "I think we should take her temperature. She feels a little too hot." Mary-Margaret was about to stand up and leave when she felt little hands grab onto her.

"No mommy stay." Regina cried holding onto Mary-Margaret tightly.

"Sweetie I'm just going to get the thermometer. I will be right back." Mary-Margaret said.

"No mommy. Want you here." Regina cried again and continued to hold onto her.

"I'll go get it." David said standing up. "You take her over to the bed."

Mary-Margaret nodded and David quickly left the room to get the thermometer. Mary-Margaret picked Regina up and she carried her over to the bed. She sat down and leaned against the head board and let Regina cuddle into her. David soon came back and her sat down beside Mary-Margaret and Regina. He checked Regina's temperature and showed it to Mary-Margaret who gasped as she saw how high it was.

"David that is much too high." She said worry showing on her face.

"Do we have any medicine that would help to bring her temperature down a little?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. There might be some in the bathroom cupboard where the thermometer was." Mary-Margaret replied. David nodded and hurried out the room to go and look. Mary-Margaret held onto Regina and she ran her fingers through her hair trying to sooth the sick child. Regina started coughing again and Mary-Margaret rubbed her back.

"Mommy it hurt. Don't like it." Regina cried cuddling back into Mary-Margaret.

"Oh sweetie I know. Mommy's here. I will help you." Mary-Margaret said soothingly.

David came back, medicine in hand as well as some water just in case Regina did not like the taste of the medicine which was more than likely. "Okay princess I have something that will make you feel much better." He said as he sat down on the bed beside them again. He placed the water on the bedside table and then opened the medicine bottle and poured some onto a spoon.

Mary-Margaret sat Regina up. Regina looked down at the spoon not liking the look of what was on it. "Look yucky." She said turning away.

"Regina come on. This will make you feel much better." Mary-Margaret said. "You don't want to stay feeling like this do you?" Regina looked up at Mary-Margaret and shook her head. "Okay then. So you be a big girl for mommy and daddy and take this medicine."

"Okay." Regina sighed. She opened her mouth and David poured the medicine off the spoon and into her mouth. Regina screwed her face up a little at the horrible taste and shook her head. "Yucky!" She whined a little. David gave her the water and she took a few sips before giving it back to him to put back on the bed side table. "I sleep here mommy." Regina said.

Mary-Margaret looked over at David and mouthed 'rain check' both knowing their romantic moment was over now with a sick child in their bed.

* * *

><p>It was the next morning and Mary-Margaret, David and Regina were all tired from the lack of sleep they had all had that night. Regina had struggled to sleep with coughing quite a lot throughout the night. While Mary-Margaret and David struggled to sleep more just because they were worried about the little girl. They had checked her temperature periodically throughout the night and as the medicine began to wear off they saw that Regina's temperature began to rise again.<p>

So they had given Regina some more medicine and had decided that if once this medicine had wore off and Regina's temperature was high again they would take her into the hospital to see a doctor. For now Regina was cuddled up on the sofa with Mary-Margaret. The girl had not wanted to leave her side the whole time, even refusing to go to David which was unusual. So David went off to work while Mary-Margaret stayed at home to look after Regina.

"Mommy…" Regina mumbled moving a little on the sofa beside Mary-Margaret.

"Yes sweetie?" She asked.

"I sore." Regina whined looking up at her.

"Where are you sore sweetie?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"All over." Regina said beginning to cry a little.

"Oh sweetheart." Mary-Margaret cooed and pulled Regina closer to her to give her more of a cuddle. "I know you feel horrible and achy but that is just because you body is trying to fight the horrible illness." She tried to explain although she realised a three year old Regina would probably not understand this.

"Don't like it mommy."

"I know sweetheart." Mary-Margaret replied. "Now I think maybe we should take you upstairs and you can have a nap in bed, what do you think?"

"I stay with you mommy." Regina said clinging onto Mary-Margaret.

"Regina if you go for a nap it might make you feel a lot better. Sleep is the best thing when you are not well. I will still be here when you wake up. I promise." Mary-Margaret said stroking Regina's cheek soothingly. She stood up from the sofa carrying Regina on her hip. "Now you have magic there, she will make sure to look after you while you are in bed okay?" Mary-Margaret said while walking out of the living room and making her way upstairs towards Regina's bedroom.

"Okay mommy." Regina replied too tired to put up any kind of fight with her mommy today. She rested her head on Mary-Margaret's shoulder as they went upstairs.

They went into Regina's bedroom and Mary-Margaret lay Regina down on her bed gently and pulled the covers over her. She pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and brushed some of her hair out of her face. "I will be just down stairs okay? I will come and check on you soon."

"Okay mommy." Regina said as she turned onto her side and cuddled into magic and closing her eyes. Within minutes she was fast asleep.

Mary-Margaret went back downstairs and she decided to try and tidy up a little now Regina was sleeping. It didn't take her long to do so and she made herself a little snack, a sandwich and some tea. She sat down on the sofa, watching a little TV while she ate her sandwich and drank her tea. After she had finished and cleaned up her dishes she decided to go up and check on Regina.

As she entered the room she saw that Regina was still sleeping. As she looked down at the little girl she sighed a little as she really didn't look well at all. She walked over to the side of the bed and sat down on the edge of it gently being as careful as she could to not wake the sleeping child. She then gently placed a hand on Regina's forehead and could feel that Regina had her fever back. She picked up the thermometer that was on the bedside table and took Regina's temperature and gasped as she saw it was much higher than it had been. Now she was really beginning to worry. She knew no amount of medicine was going to fix this fever so she decided it was now time to get Regina to the doctor before she got any worse.

She quickly left the room and went into her and David's room. She pulled on whatever clothes came to hand not even bothering to see if they went together or not. She then went back through to Regina's room and she pulled the covers off of the little girl and lifted her up in her arms. Regina just clung onto Mary-Margaret but did not seem to wake up. Mary-Margaret carried Regina out of the room and downstairs. She switched everything off, grabbed her bag and her keys and made her way out of the house and to the car, thankful that today Emma picked David up rather than him driving into town. She opened the car and placed Regina in her seat, buckling her up before running round to the drivers side and getting in.

She drove carefully but as quickly as she could to the hospital. Parking up wherever she could find a spot she got out and ran to Regina's side of the car. Unbuckling her she gently pulled her out of the seat and carried her over to the hospital a look of worry and slight panic on her face, not sure what she could do for her sick little girl. She burst into the hospital and was thankful to see Dr Whale stood at the reception desk.

"Dr Whale, please I need your help. It's Regina there is something wrong with her." Mary-Margaret said all in a panic and a fluster.

Dr Whale turned round to face the woman who was carrying the small child in her arms. "Mary-Margaret? What is wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know. Regina got up late last night complaining that she wasn't feeling well. She has had quite a high temperature but we gave her a couple of doses of medicine and that seemed to help. But when I went to check on her this afternoon while she was napping she felt really warm and I took her temperature and it is much higher than it has been." Mary-Margaret explained.

"Okay what have her symptoms been?" Dr Whale asked while motioning for Mary-Margaret to follow him with the child as he began to walk down one of the corridors.

"She has had quite a nasty sort of dry cough, a runny nose, I guess cold or flu like symptoms. She has been complaining that she aches all over and well she has had a fever." Mary-Margaret explained.

Dr Whale nodded and he stepped to the side and held the door of a room open and motioned for Mary-Margaret to go in. She entered the room and he followed. "Put her down on the bed and I will have a look." Mary-Margaret did so and watched as Dr Whale began to look Regina over. He looked behind Regina's ears and then over her head, neck and then the rest of her. "Okay I think I have an idea of what is wrong with Regina."

"What is it?" Mary-Margaret asked worriedly

"I think Regina may have measles." Dr Whale said. He then tilted Regina's head a little. "You see the rash here behind her ear?" He said showing Mary-Margaret. "She also as a rash on some of her body. My guess is the rash is only just starting to develop on her."

"Measles? Is this dangerous to her? Is she going to be okay?"

"Regina will be just fine with plenty of rest and fluids. There is not really anything I can give her for this. I will give her something for the high temperature just now. That should help that settle. Just keep using the medicine you have at home for the fever, make sure she gets plenty rest and drinks plenty of water and she should recover in around four days or so." Dr Whale explained. "Now measles are very infectious have you and David both had measles?"

"I have, I had them when I was a child. I'm not sure about David." Mary-Margaret said.

"Well I would suggest you check with him and if he hasn't I would keep an eye on him as it is more than likely he would catch them from Regina if he hasn't. As well as anyone who comes into contact with her and who hasn't had them. I suggest you take her home and make sure you limit the amount of people that come into the home until she is feeling better." Mary-Margaret nodded. "Now why don't I get something for Regina's fever and you contact David?"

"Okay. Thank you Dr Whale." Mary-Margaret said. She took one last look at Regina before she stepped out of the room and went to phone David. David of course was extremely worried when she told him she was at the hospital with Regina but once she explained everything he was still worried but a little more relieved that he first had been. He told Mary-Margaret that he had indeed had measles so he was clear to be around Regina and Mary-Margaret asked him to check with Emma and Henry to see if they had had measles just in case Regina had passed it onto them. Once she had finished she went back to the room Regina was in.

Dr Whale gave her a little smile. "I have given her something for the fever. The fever should go down now. I suggest you get her home and back into bed. Try and get plenty of fluids into her and although her appetite will be lacking try and get her to eat something."

"Her appetite lacking? She barely has an appetite at the best of times." Mary-Margaret joked. Dr whale laughed a little. "But I will try. Thank you Dr Whale."

"That's alright Mary-Margaret. Come and see me if there are any more problems." He said before leaving the room.

Mary-Margaret went over to Regina and she gently lifted her up and carried her out of the hospital. As she got outside she smiled a little as she saw David stood leaning against the car. She walked over to him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "What are you doing here?"

"Emma told me and to quote her 'get your ass home to them and tell Regina I say get well soon'" David said making Mary-Margaret laugh.

"That sounds like Emma." She said as she opened the car and placed Regina in her seat and buckled her in.

"What did Dr Whale say?" David asked as he got into the car with Mary-Margaret, this time he was driving.

"Just that she should be fine and should be over the worst in around four days time. She is to get plenty of rest and plenty of fluids and although her appetite may be lacking we have to try and get her to eat something…"

"Appetite lacking? She barely has an appetite anyway." David said.

"That's exactly what I said to him." Mary-Margaret said laughing a little. "He gave her something for the high fever and then said just to keep using the medicine at home if her fever returns and if we have any problems to get in contact with him." Mary-Margaret finished.

David nodded. He then glanced in the widescreen mirror to see Regina was still fast asleep. "I don't think we will have any fight getting her to rest and sleep."

Mary-Margaret glanced behind her and then let out a little sigh. "No I don't think we will. That's what I don't like. That just tells you how ill she feels."

David moved a hand to her knee and gave it a comforting squeeze and gave her a little smile. "Don't worry she will be fine. In a few days she will be up and about, running around and causing all sorts of chaos again. You wait and see."

"Yes your right." Mary-Margaret laughed.

Soon they were back home and David carried Regina upstairs and laid her back in bed and she didn't even stir. He and Mary-Margaret enjoyed some time to themselves downstairs on the sofa and every so often would go up and check on Regina just to make sure her fever was still down and everything. After a while Regina woke up and although ill managed to shout for them to come upstairs. They made her drink some water and offered to make her a snack but she refused and they decided not to push her on the food right at this moment. They read her a story and soon she was back to sleep and they were back downstairs, cuddling on the sofa and watching whatever was on TV.

* * *

><p>A week had passed and Regina was beginning to feel a lot more like her old self. Her energy was back and she was not as quiet as she had been over the past week which Mary-Margaret and David both couldn't help but feel relieved at. They were so happy to have the loud, energetic Regina back. They had taken Regina to the hospital for a follow up appointment with Dr Whale just to make sure everything was okay and Dr Whale was more than happy with how the measles had cleared up.<p>

So now Regina was in the bath after having been out at the park. During her time at the park she had decided to fall in all the muddy puddles that could be found, roll in any muddy patch there was and well just get herself caked in mud. So as soon as they had gotten home Mary-Margaret had stripped her off and put her in the bath, not wanting the whole house to get as mucky as Regina had gotten. Regina was sat in the bath, her dolls surrounding her and as Mary-Margaret walked past the bathroom she couldn't help but smile because for the first time in nearly over a week she could hear Regina singing. That definitely showed her that Regina was much better.

"Row row row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily merrily merrily merrily, Life is but a dream." Regina sang and Mary-Margaret leaned against the doorframe smiling as she listened. "Rock rock rock your boat faster down the stream. If you see a crocodile don't forget to scream. AHHHH!"

Mary-Margaret laughed and then walked into the bathroom clapping her hands making Regina look round and smile. "That was some lovely singing Regina."

"Thanks you mommy." Regina smiled sweetly. "You know more?" Regina asked sitting up in the bath a little more and facing Mary-Margaret.

Mary-Margaret nodded her head and she sat down at the side of the bath. She picked up Regina's shampoo and poured some into her hands. She then began to rub it into her hair and then teach Regina the other verses to the song that she knew. "Now let me see…there is… row row row your boat gently on the shore. If you see a lion don't forget to roar…"

"RAAHHHH!" Regina shouted making Mary-Margaret laugh.

"Very good." She praised. "And there is…row row row your boat gently to and fro. Wibbily, wobbly, wibbily wobbly into the water you go. Splash!" Regina giggled. "Close your eyes sweetie." Regina did so and Mary-Margaret poured some water over her head washing out the shampoo. She then repeated with the conditioner and then sat back a little just looking at Regina for a moment. She still couldn't believe everything that had happened but she was glad to give Regina her second chance and she couldn't deny that she and David had fallen into quite a happy family life with Regina around. Even after everything she had put them through it didn't matter anymore.


	11. Chapter 11

Mary-Margaret slowly lowered herself into the nice hot bubble bath and rested against the back of the bath. She closed her eyes and let out a big contented sigh as she felt all of her muscles begin to relax. David was at work and Regina was playing in her room so Mary-Margaret decided to take this rare bit of time to herself and try to relax. She really did enjoy having a toddler around, Regina was fun and sweet but still it was a lot of hard work looking after a toddler and extremely tiring. Regina was just a ball of energy that never seemed to stop and Mary-Margaret found that sometimes she was finding it hard to keep up with Regina.

"MOMMY!" Regina shouted making Mary-Margaret jump and then sigh as she knew that her peace and quiet was now over as she heard Regina's feet padding through the hall towards the bathroom. The door was pushed open and Regina popped her head round giving Mary-Margaret a smile. "Oh you in the bath mommy." Regina said as she walked further into the bathroom and over to the side of the bath.

"Yes I am sweetie." Mary-Margaret replied, sitting up a little more in the bath now. "Is there something you wanted Regina?"

Regina shook her head and then walked over to the toilet. She pulled the lid down and then climbed up sitting on top of it and swinging her legs as they dangled down. "No mommy. Just wonder where you were."

"Oh I see." Mary-Margaret grabbed the sponge from the side of the bath and began to wash herself. She decided that she may as well hurry the bath along now.

"Mommy why is the sky blue?" Regina asked as she continued to swing her legs, a serious look now on her face.

"Erm…well…" Mary-Margaret stuttered a little while she tried to think of an answer. Regina's questions seemed to be getting harder and harder to answer. Gone were the simple, easy to answer questions. "I'm not really sure Regina. It just is. Something to do with light I think."

Regina screwed her face up a little in confusion. "Light?"

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Yes. It's a science thing sweetie. I am sure one day you will learn and then you can tell mommy."

"Okay." Regina said accepting that answer. "Mommy why I get ill?"

"Well…Sometimes we get ill Regina, there are lots of bugs and viruses out there and we can't miss them all. Sometimes one catches us and makes us quite poorly." Mary-Margaret answered not quite sure if she was really making any sense but once again she didn't know how to explain this to a three year old. "But you got better didn't you?"

"Yes I feel much better now mommy." Regina said happily nodding her head.

"You just need to remember that when you feel poorly it will get better." Mary-Margaret said. She then stood up, pulling out the plug and then reaching over for her towel. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the bath. She then went to walk out the room but Regina called her to stop.

"Wait, Stop mommy." Regina called. "I need help please. Can't get down."

Mary-Margaret giggled a little and then went back to help Regina down. Regina then followed Mary-Margaret out of the bathroom and through to her bedroom. Regina ran over to the bed and climbed up on it, beginning to jump up and down. Mary-Margaret looked over and rolled her eyes a little. _And to think grown up Regina would go mad if a child was jumping on her bed. _"Regina please don't jump on the bed. We don't want you to fall off and hurt yourself do we?"

"Like the monkey's?" Regina asked.

Mary-Margaret frowned a little in confusion. "Monkey's?"

"Yes. The monkey's that jump on the bed. You know mommy." Regina said. "Five little monkey's jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Mommy phoned the doctor and the doctor said. NO MORE MONKEY'S JUMPING ON THE BED!" Regina sang, shouting the last bit and jumping a little higher on the bed.

"Oh, those monkey's." Mary-Margaret said finally realising what Regina had been talking about. "Yes exactly like them. I don't think you want to fall off the bed and hurt your head do you?"

Regina thought about what her mother said for a moment and then stopped jumping and shook her head. "No I don't want to hurt my head mommy."

"Okay then. Well sit on the bed nicely if you want to stay in here." Mary-Margaret ordered in a nice tone.

Regina nodded her head and she sat down on the bed. She watched as Mary-Margaret walked around the room getting herself ready once more. "I can't wait to go see Rose mommy." Regina said excitedly.

"Yes I am sure you and Rose will have lots of fun on your play date won't you?" Mary-Margaret smiled as she saw how excited Regina really was.

"Yea! I think we going to play dolls and draw and colour and everything!"

"Wow that sounds like a lot." Mary-Margaret said acting excited for Regina. "I bet you will be very tired afterwards.

Regina frowned and shook her head. "I don't think so mommy." Mary-Margaret giggled a little at that. "Mommy what you do when me and Rose play?"

"I am going to have some coffee with Rose's mommy and we are going to chat."

"About what?" Regina asked.

"Oh I don't know sweetie. We will chat about lots of things." Mary-Margaret replied.

"Me and Rose will chat." Regina said.

"I'm sure you will sweetie." Mary-Margaret said leaning over and placing a soft kiss on top of Regina's head. "Now I think we should change out of your princess costume and perhaps put some other clothes on to go and see Rose, what do you think?"

"Okay mommy." Regina said. She then stood up on the bed and walked over to the edge and held up her hands, indicating to Mary-Margaret that she wanted lifted up. Mary-Margaret lifted her up and carried her out of her bedroom and through to Regina's bedroom. She placed Regina down and Regina ran over to her wardrobe and pulled the doors open. "I help choose mommy?"

"Of course you can Regina." Mary-Margaret said as she walked over to the wardrobe. "What would you like to wear? A dress or a skirt? Or would you like trousers?"

Regina put on her cute thinking face and then said "Trousers mommy."

Mary-Margaret nodded and she looked through all of Regina's trousers trying to decide which pair would be good. She picked up a pair of blue denim jeggings and held them out to Regina. "What about these?" Regina nodded her head and Mary-Margaret passed them to her. "Okay now a top." She said moving over to Regina's tops. "What colour top shall we wear today Regina?"

"Erm…" Regina said putting on her cute thinking face once again. "I think…red!"

Mary-Margaret nodded and she looked through Regina's tops for a red one. She pulled a top out and unfolded it. She smiled as she read what was written on the top and then held it out to Regina. "What about this one?"

"Okay mommy." Regina said. "What it say?" Regina asked pointed to the black sparkly writing on the top.

"It says 'Apple of daddy's eye'." Mary-Margaret said. "And look there is a little apple." She said pointing to the apple that was drawn on with the black sparkle that the writing was written in.

"Oh yes." Regina said. Mary-Margaret then sat on Regina's bed and got her underwear and socks. She then held her arms out to Regina and Regina ran over to her. She pulled Regina up onto the bed and she helped her to get dressed. Regina stood back once she was dressed and held her arms open to Mary-Margaret showing off now that she was dressed.

"Lovely." Mary-Margaret smiled. "Now what shoes are we going to wear?"

"I want my black sparkly boots mommy." Regina said.

"Okay sweetie. Right now your hair Regina. Will we plait it?" Mary-Margaret asked.

Regina nodded her head. "Two please." She said sitting down on the bed, now with her hair brush and two hair ties and sitting in between Mary-Margaret's legs.

"Okay." Mary-Margaret said brushing Regina's hair. She then done two French plaits in Regina's hair. She smiled once she had finished, liking how they hair style had turned out in the young girls hair. "There we are. You look lovely."

"Thanks you mommy." Regina said smiling at Mary-Margaret.

"You are most welcome Regina." Mary-Margaret replied hugging Regina from behind. She then pulled Regina back and kissed her cheek, tickling her a little and making her giggle. "Okay sweetie let's go get your boots and your coat on and we shall go and see Rose and her mommy."

"Yey!" Regina said excitedly jumping off the bed and running out the room, Mary-Margaret laughing as she followed her. As soon as Regina got down the stairs she picked up her boots and sat down on the last step. She went to put one of her boots on and then she stopped and looked up at Mary-Margaret. "This right foot mommy?" She asked. Mary-Margaret nodded and she then continued to put her boots on. Mary-Margaret handed Regina her blue rain jacket that had daisy's all over it once she had put her boots on and Regina put it on and buttoned it up. "Ready mommy."

"Alright then, let's get going." Mary-Margaret said picking up her bag and keys. She took Regina's hand and they made their way out of the house to head to Regina's play date with Rose.

* * *

><p>When they had finally got to Rose's house Regina decided that she wanted to ring the doorbell. Mary-Margaret lifted her up and let her press the bell. She then placed her back down and they waited for the door to open. it soon did and both Rose and Regina squealed as they saw one another.<p>

"GINA!" Rose squealed.

"ROSIE!" Regina squealed back and they both ran towards one another and hugged each other. Both Mary-Margaret and Rose's mother, Judith laughed at this.

"Why don't you come in?" Judith asked with a smile on her face. She stepped to the side to let the two girls and Mary-Margaret into the house. Rose took Regina's hand and they both ran off upstairs to Rose's bedroom leaving the two women downstairs. "They really are quite cute aren't they?" Judith chuckled as she made her way into the living room with Mary-Margaret following.

"They really are. I hadn't seen them play together before now but Emma, my eldest daughter told me about Rose and Regina playing together in the park with Robin." Mary-Margaret smiled. She sat down on the sofa, Judith sitting opposite her in a chair. There was a pot of tea, two tea cups and some biscuits already set out.

"Yes, they were all playing a game where the prince rescues the princesses I think." Judith chuckled. She then stopped and put on a rather serious face. She decided to get the awkward conversation out of the way now rather than later. "I do have to admit I was a little apprehensive at first about Rose playing with Regina. You know since she was…well…you know…" Judith said stuttering a little.

Mary-Margaret nodded a little with a sigh. "I understand that you felt that way but really Regina is not like her older self. I know people are going to find it hard to forget who she once was but I am hoping with time that people will put that behind us and see who she is now. What happened to Regina is giving her a second chance at living her life, doing it all over again. She really is a nice kind girl and you will see that in her now, I promise you. David and I we are really trying to make sure she turns out right."

Judith smiled a little. "I can see that you are. You seem really good with her, well from what I have seen when you are both out with her. You and Emma also. She really handled Regina well when she had her at the park."

"She's not a bad child. She's actually very good, she has her moments but then doesn't every child."

"Oh they certainly do. Rose has plenty of them herself." Judith laughed a little. "I just want you to know now that…well I guess I have done what you hope everyone will do and put Regina's older self and past behind me, choosing to forget it I guess. Rose really seems to like her and they get along so well I wouldn't want to keep them apart just because I wasn't sure of her. I can see she's not the same person that we all once knew."

"Well I am glad you have because Regina really likes Rose too. She hasn't stopped talking about Rose and Robin since that day in the park and has asked non-stop about a play date."

"Oh Rose has been the same." Judith laughed.

* * *

><p>Upstairs Regina found herself being dragged into Rose's bedroom. She looked around to see that Rose's bedroom was painted a light green, the curtains were a shade of green and Rose even had a princess canopy hanging over her bed, just like Regina did, but Rose's one was green.<p>

"You like green." Regina said it was more a statement rather than a question.

Rose let go of Regina's hand and nodded her head. She walked further into her room and sat down on her floor where her dolls were laid out from the game she had been playing before Regina had arrived. Regina took off her coat, placing it on the bed and went over to Rose and sat down beside her looking at all the dolls. "Do you not like green?" Rose asked.

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "Green not my favourite colour."

"What is your favourite colour?" Rose asked.

Regina put on her cute thinking face. "I think…purple." Regina said. Rose nodded and then looked back at her dolls. "I like this doll." Regina said picking up the doll to take a closer look.

"Her name Eliza." Rose said. "I like her but my favourite is this one." Rose said picking up a doll. "I call her Isabelle."

"They have nice names. My favourite doll at home I call Penny." Regina replied.

"That a nice name. You bring Penny?" Rose asked.

Regina shook her head. "I left her home." She replied with a little sad face, but then she brightened up as an idea came to her. "But you can see her when you come to my house for play date."

"Yea!" Rose said excitedly. "That be fun."

Regina nodded her head happily. She then looked back at the other dolls on the floor. "We play a game? We could play mommy's."

"Ohh yea. I have prams we could use for our babies." Rose said standing up and walking over to a closet. She opened the door to reveal lots more toys and pulled out two small toy prams. "You can have that one and I will have this one."

"Okay." Regina said standing up and taking the pram from Rose. She placed her doll in the pram and waited for Rose to do the same with hers. "Where we going to go?" Regina asked.

"I think we should go for a tea party with our babies." Rose suggested. "We could go for tea party with my teddies."

"Oh that sound fun!" Regina replied happily.

They both set up a blanket on the floor in the hall way and sat some of Rose's teddies on the blanket. They then got the cups and tea pot and some plates, along with some pretend food. "We need something to be the tea." Regina said.

Rose put on a thinking face as she realised Regina was right they did need something for the tea. "Why don't we get some water and pretend that tea."

"Good idea." Regina said.

Rose got the tea pot and ran into the bathroom. She ran the cold tap and stuck the tea pot underneath, filling it up. She then carefully carried it back to the tea party and put it down. "There we go. Now we need to go back for out babies and walk to the tea party like mommies."

"We chat too. My mommy does that." Regina said. Rose nodded her head and they both walked back into Rose's room and they got their prams. They pushed the prams around Rose's room chatting away to one another, pretending to be their mommy's. They then walked out of the room and over to the blanket. They got their babies out of the prams and sat down on the blanket.

"Would you like some tea Gina?" Rose asked as she picked up the tea pot.

"Oh yea please Rosie." Regina replied holding out her little cup.

Rose poured some water into the cup, spilling a little bit but both girls didn't particularly bother about it. She then poured some into her own cup and placed the tea pot down. "Be careful Gina in case it hot." Rose said just as Regina was about to take a drink.

Regina rolled her eyes at herself giggling a little. "Course silly me." She then blew on it and then began to drink the cold water.

Rose shared out the pretend food and they spent the next hour or so talking to one another, drinking their 'tea' and 'eating' their pretend food. Rose then looked down at their babies that were lying on the floor and gasped a little. "Oh we forgot the babies bottles. What if they gets hungry?"

"Oops." Regina said placing a hand over her mouth.

"I will go get them." Rose said standing up and running back into her bedroom. She soon returned with two toy baby bottles. She gave one to Regina and then sat back down. They picked up their babies and then pretended to feed them the bottles and started to chat again. Once they had finished they both put the babies back down and had some more 'tea'.

After a while they began to get a little bored of that game and decided they wanted to play another game. They decided that they now wanted to be princesses. So they raided Rose's dressing up chest and found two princess dresses that they wanted to wear. Putting them on they went downstairs and into the living room where the two women were sat.

"Mommy Gina and I want to go outside." Rose said walking over to Judith.

"You do? Can you not play your game inside honey?" Judith asked.

Rose shook her head. "No mommy. We playing princesses and we need to go outside."

Judith looked over at Mary-Margaret. "Would you mind sitting outside for a little bit while they play? I don't like Rose to be out there on her own, you just never know."

"Oh I understand completely. I am the same with Regina at home. I don't mind at all." Mary-Margaret said. The two women stood up and they all made their way outside. "Are you having fun Regina?" Mary-Margaret asked before Regina ran off.

Regina nodded her head and hugged Mary-Margaret's legs. "Lots of fun mommy." She then ran off with Rose and they began their princess game.

This game consisted of lots of pretend dragons, mean people that wanted to lock the princesses up in a big tower and of course a couple of handsome princes to save them. They ran around mad, and eventually began to tire themselves out, rubbing their eyes and beginning to yawn. A combination of the game and the fresh air beginning to hit them. Regina found that she was too tired to play anymore and she walked over to Mary-Margaret and held her arms up to her indicating that she wanted up on her lap.

Mary-Margaret lifted Regina up and looked down at the little girl. "What's wrong Regina? Are you okay?" She asked.

Regina nodded her head, giving a little yawn and rubbing her eyes. "My eyes hurt mommy."

"I think you are getting tired my little one." Mary-Margaret said. She then looked up at Judith who noted that Rose was feeling the same. "Regina didn't have the best night's sleep last night I think it is beginning to catch up with her."

"Yes fresh air and running around does wonders doesn't it? I think it is nearing Rose's nap time too." Judith replied.

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Regina why don't you go take this princess dress off and find your coat and we will go home."

"But I want to stay with Rose." Regina said quickly sitting up in Mary-Margaret's lap.

"Don't worry Regina we will have another play date with Rose. Maybe Rose could even come over to our house next time." Mary-Margaret replied.

"Really?" Regina asked looking from Mary-Margaret and then to Judith.

"Yes we would both like that. Wouldn't we Rose?" Judith said. Rose nodded her head and let out a little yawn. "Rose why don't you go with Regina and take off your princess dress and then we will get you ready for a little sleep."

Rose just nodded and both the children went inside and back up to Rose's room. They took off the princess dresses and put them back up in the dressing up chest. Regina grabbed her coat and then they went back downstairs where Judith and Mary-Margaret were now stood.

"Say good bye Regina." Mary-Margaret said as she put on her coat.

"Bye Rosie." Regina said giving Rose a hug. "Bye Judith." Regina said.

"Good bye Regina. Rose…" Judith said.

"Bye Gina."

"Good bye Judith, today was lovely. We really will have to do it again soon." Mary-Margaret said as she helped Regina put her coat on.

"We will. Bye Mary-Margaret." Judith said.

Mary-Margaret and Regina walked out of the house, Regina holding onto her mother's hand as they walked down the street. Mary-Margaret was now regretting not having the car. She didn't think about the fact that when they left Rose's house that Regina would probably be tired. She looked at her watch and saw that it was half past one and they had yet to have something for lunch. Looking down at Regina she wondered if perhaps Regina would manage to last a little longer to have something to eat.

"Regina would you like to go have lunch at Grannies?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Yes please mommy." Regina said brightening up a little more. "Daddy too?"

"Maybe…why don't we stop by daddy's work to see if he can come get lunch with us?" Mary-Margaret suggested.

"Yea!" Regina said excitedly.

They walked through Storybrooke, heading towards the Sheriff's office, on the way saying hello to many people as they passed. As soon as they entered the Sheriff's office Regina ran through.

"DADDY!" Regina shouted happily. David turned round, giving a big smile as soon as he saw Regina and Mary-Margaret and he opened his arms to catch Regina as she ran and jumped into his arms.

"Hello there my little princess." He said kissing the side of her head. "How was your play date with Rose?"

"It was lots and lots and lots and lots of fun daddy." Regina answered. She then looked behind David and saw that Emma was there. She wriggled in David's arms and he put her down. She ran around him and over to Emma. "EMMMMAAAA!" she shouted and jumping into Emma's arms. Emma just catching Regina, not expecting the little girl to jump into her.

"Hey kid. Happy to see me?" Emma laughed a little as she lifted Regina up a bit more and balanced her on her hip.

"Yea Emma." Regina said hugging Emma tightly.

Mary-Margaret and David couldn't help but smile as they watched Regina hugging Emma tightly. They both knew Emma was finding it hard to adjust to them raising Regina, and they both understood why but it was nice to see them both getting along and beginning to really bond as…well they supposed as sisters in a sort of way.

"We thought we'd drop in and see if you could come for lunch." Mary-Margaret said looking at David. "We were going to head to Grannies."

David nodded. "I could come along for some lunch. Didn't realise the time actually. Emma and I haven't really stopped all morning."

"Emma you come too." Regina said, more of a demand than a question.

"Regina…" Mary-Margret said in a tone that told Regina one thing, be polite.

Regina sighed a little and then put on a sickly sweet smile and said "Pleaseeeeee Emma."

Emma look over at Mary-Margaret and David, as if asking if they wouldn't mind her joining, which she realised was probably a bit silly as of course they wouldn't mind her joining them. She was their daughter after all. They both nodded at her and then she looked back at Regina and nodded her head. "Sure I'll come along Regina."

"Yey! I going to sit next to you Emma." Regina said happily cuddling into Emma.

* * *

><p>They had made their way to Grannies, Mary-Margaret and David holding hands and Emma carrying Regina. Regina had walked a little of the way, well out of the Sheriff's office but then claimed she was too tired and wouldn't be able to make it to Grannies if she had to walk so Emma gave in and carried her. They sat down in a booth and just like Regina had said she sat beside Emma.<p>

They ordered their food, mostly their usual order and sat and chatted for a bit. Emma turned to Regina. "So Regina you had a play date with Rose…was that fun?"

"Yes. Lots of fun. We played tea parties and mommies. We had lots of tea and food and we fed our babies." Regina said just as David took a drink of his water, making him choke a little when she said the last part.

Mary-Margaret patted him on the back a little and Emma couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she knew why he had choked. "David are you okay?" Mary-Margaret asked a little worried.

"Yes…" David gasped a little. "Fine…did she say fed babies?" He asked taking another drink of his water to hopefully help him recover from before.

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Yes she and Rose pretended to feed the dolls…" She said furrowing her eyebrows a little. "What did you think she meant?"

"I have no idea but I think I just saw her in her twenties for a moment there."

Mary-Margaret and Emma rolled their eyes. Then Regina began to talk again. "We played princesses too Emma."

"Oh really? That sounds fun." Emma said acting excited.

Regina nodded. "We were running away from the big dragon and the mean people that locked us in a tower and our handsome princes come save us." Regina explained.

"Handsome princes? She is far too young to be thinking of handsome princes." David said making Mary-Margaret and Emma laugh a little.

"Oh David she probably doesn't even understand it. I am sure we have plenty of time before you have to worry about boys." Mary-Margaret said.

"We better have. I already have enough with Emma." David mumbled.

"Me? And how do you have to worry about me?" Emma asked. "I am more than capable of handling myself."

"I know that but I am still your father and I will always worry no matter how old you get. Especially since that Hook has eyes for you." David said.

Emma rolled her eyes. _Oh here we go again! _"How many times do I have to tell you? Hook and I are nothing. We are not together."

"Yea daddy." Regina added in although she had no idea to what she was saying it to. She had no idea what they were talking about now. All she knew was that she was agreeing with Emma.

"If you say so Emma." David muttered.

Emma just left the conversation there not wanting to turn it awkward or anything. She turned back to Regina. "So it sounds like you had lots of fun at Rose's house then Regina." She said quickly trying to change the subject.

"Yes I did. Mommy says Rose can come to my house next time." Regina replied.

"Oh that will be good then." Emma smiled.

When their orders had arrived at the table they all dug in, chatting in-between eating. Regina picked at her food and Mary-Margaret and David tried to persuade her to eat a little more than just half of her little lunch but she was adamant she was not hungry enough for that. Once they had finished David paid the bill and then he came back over to the table. He looked out the window and sighed a little as he saw it was raining outside. He picked up Regina's coat.

"Okay Regina let's put your coat on." David said holding it out to her.

"No thanks daddy. Don't want coat on." Regina said jumping down off of the chair.

"Regina we need to put your coat on. Come on." David insisted but Regina just shook her head and frowned at David.

"Don't want coat on."

David sighed. He really didn't want a scene to be made in Grannies. That was the last thing he wanted. So he placed the coat on the table and he crouched down to Regina. "Regina I would really like you to put your coat on, do you know why?" He said hoping he could persuade her that putting her coat on was a good idea.

Regina shook her head. "Why daddy?" Regina asked.

David lifted her up and walked over to one of the windows in Grannies. "You see it's raining outside now and if we don't wear our coat outside when it is raining we get poorly."

"Poorly? Like I was before?" Regina asked turning away from the window and now looking at David.

David nodded his head. "Yes just like you were before. Now daddy really doesn't like it if you are poorly, did you like it?"

"No daddy." Regina said shaking her head.

"Okay then. So how about we put our coat on?" David asked.

"Okay daddy." Regina said. David put her down and they walked back over to the table. David picked up Regina's coat and he was about to help her put it on when she stopped him. "Wait daddy! Need toilet."

"Alright then, quickly go." He said and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched her run off. He thought he handled that situation quite well and gave himself a mental pat on the back.


	12. Chapter 12

Emma looked over at Regina who was sat at her desk colouring in. Once again she was looking after Regina, however this time it was just because Mary-Margaret and David were working. This time is was to give them some time alone. Emma was more than happy to look after Regina even though she still wasn't really sure what to do with her. She sighed and then turned on her heel popping to the toilet quickly.

Regina finished her colouring and looked up to see where Emma was because she really wanted to show her the picture she had coloured as it was for her. She frowned as she didn't see Emma anywhere. She then gasped as she looked out the window. "EMMA! EMMA!" Regina shouted excitedly. She jumped off of the chair, her colouring long forgotten and she ran for the door of the Sheriff's station.

Emma was just coming out of the toilet, hurrying a little more as she had heard Regina shouting on her. She saw Regina was heading for the door and quickly ran after her, scooping her up just before she reached for the door handle. "Whoa there kid. Where do you think you are going?" Emma asked tickling Regina a little making her giggle and squirm in her arms.

"Out to play in the snow." Regina said excitedly.

Emma frowned in confusion as Regina had said that. "Snow?" Emma asked a little in disbelief. It was the middle of August how could there be snow? There wouldn't be snow. "Regina it is August. You don't get snow in August." Emma tried to explain.

"No Emma there is snow outside." Regina insisted as she pointed towards the door. "There really is. Look."

Emma sighed and she walked over to the door with Regina in her arms and she opened the door to the Sheriff's station. She walked out and gasped as she saw Regina was in fact right. There was snow covering the ground, a thick blanket of white and more and more was falling from the white skies. Emma shivered a little as the cold hit her a little more. She wasn't dressed for this kind of weather since it was Summer.

"See Emma. Snow. I wanna play!" Regina said happily and tried to squirm out of Emma's arms.

"Eh…No Regina wait. You aren't dressed right for playing in the snow." Emma said.

"Aw but Emmaaa…" Regina whined a little. "Wanna play." She huffed a little and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know you do but if you go and play in the snow dressed as you are you will get poorly. We need to be wrapped up all nice and warm." Emma explained. "We will play later okay?" Regina sighed but nodded her head. She could see Emma wasn't going to give up and let her play in the snow so took the sensible option and agreed with Emma. Emma looked around her to see many people outside looking around just as confused as she was. She knew this wasn't normal. Although the Summers were never usually great they never got snow so she presumed perhaps this was magical and she knew that only one person could help her at the moment. She turned on her heel and walked back into the station. Placing Regina on the floor she said, "Regina go and get your coat please, we need to go out."

"Okay Emma." Regina said running over to where her coat and bag were. She grabbed her coat and ran back over to Emma. Pulling it on she stood in front of Emma. "Can you help? I can't use these buttons." Emma nodded and she crouched down and she done all the buttons up for Regina. "Thank you." Regina said smiling sweetly at Emma.

Emma returned the smile and ruffled Regina's hair a little. "Right kid, you want to take your bag? Or you gonna leave it?"

Regina put on a cute thinking face and then shook her head. "Gonna leave it."

"Okay." Emma said. She then stood up and held out her hand for Regina to take. She did so and they walked out of the station. When they walked down the path a little more Emma could see that the snow was beginning to get much deeper and she knew that Regina was going to get soaked if she walked so she leaned down and lifted her up. Regina held onto her tightly and Emma walked them down the road and over to Gold's shop thinking he would know something at least about this freak weather.

She pushed the door open and as soon as they were inside the shop she placed Regina back down on the floor. She looked up to see Gold leaning on a glass counter. "Well dearie, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I came about this weird weather…the snow outside." Emma said walking towards him. She could feel that Regina was right behind her holding onto her leg. "I presume it is magical?"

"You would presume right. Unless we shall be getting snow in Summer time now." Gold replied sarcastically making Emma roll her eyes.

"Do you have any idea who could have done this?" Emma asked leaning on the counter a little.

Gold shook his head. "It is not a power that I am familiar with. The power to freeze if a rare one and I am not practiced in it."

"Wow some magic you aren't familiar with…well that is helpful."

"Sorry dearie." Gold shrugged and then went back to what he was doing before Emma walked into the shop.

Emma just rolled her eyes and then leaned down picking Regina up again. "Come on Regina." She quickly walked out of the shop and sighed a little. "Well that was a waste of time." Emma said out loud to no one in particular.

"Where we gonna go Emma?" Regina asked still clutching onto Emma tightly. She was beginning to get a little cold now, her coat not really the best one to wear when it was cold.

"We are going to go for a little walk." Emma said beginning to walk through the town. She shifted Regina up a little to make her a little more comfortable and tried to figure out what to do. This was the first time she would be facing some magical person without the grown up Regina by her side and to say she was dreading it would be an understatement. She had no idea what to do or how to stop what was happening. How could she? She barely had a handle on her own magic. She was brought out of her thoughts as she bumped into someone and stumbled back a little.

"Sorry lass." came the voice.

Emma looked up to see Hook stood in front of her she sighed a little in frustration. She really didn't have time for him right now. "It's fine." She said and quickly walked round him to continue her walk to see if she could find any evidence to what was happening.

"Swan!" Hook called after her and quickly jogged up to her to walk beside her. "Do you have any idea what is going on?"

Emma shook her head. "No I am trying to find out."

"Would you like some assistance?" Hook asked.

Emma shrugged. "I suppose." She supposed some help would be good. She didn't exactly have David with her right now to help out and was still carrying Regina who was clutching onto her even more now that Hook was with them.

"Oh Emma, princess over there." Regina said pointing.

Emma looked round to where Regina was pointing and saw a young woman with blonde hair tied into a plait wearing a light blue sparkly dress disappearing into the forest, a trail of sparkling white frost behind her. "Well spotted Regina."

Regina smiled happily and they began to follow. They walked in silence for a bit before Hook spoke up. "So you're stuck looking after the little princess then?"

"I'm not stuck looking after her, I offered to." Emma replied.

"Can't be easy to be sheriff and look after a child." Hook said.

"I think I am managing quite fine."

They fell back into silence however the silence was more awkward than ever, Emma now regretted accepting Hook's offer to help. She knew that he liked her, he never had made that unclear to her but she wasn't particularly sure she shared his feelings and she always felt so awkward in his presence. She looked up in front of her and then stopped in her tracks. Hook looked back as soon as he had noticed that Emma wasn't beside him and gave her a questioning look. "What's wrong Swan?"

"What the hell is that?" Emma asked pointing over to what looked like a huge wall of ice blocking the town line. "Is that ice?"

"Looks like it." Hook said as he looked over to what Emma was talking about.

"Who is this person?" Emma asked to no one in particular as she began to walk over to the wall of ice, Hook trailing behind her. She placed Regina down on the ground. Looking from Hook to Regina she tried to figure out what to do next. She wanted to go and have a closer look at the wall of ice and see if she could find the woman they had seen earlier but she wasn't so sure that she should have Regina with her but then could she trust Hook to look after Regina while she took a look? Looking back at the ice she sighed. She didn't want Regina to get hurt so decided to take a chance on Hook. He wouldn't hurt Regina, not if he thought it would annoy Emma. "I am going to go take a look. I want you to stay behind and watch Regina for me."

"What? Won't you need some help there?" Hook asked. He couldn't believe he was being asked to babysit. The former evil queen for that matter.

"I will be fine. I just don't think it's a good idea for Regina to go in there." Emma said. She then crouched down to Regina's height. "Regina I want you to stay here with Hook while I go take a look over there okay?"

"No Emma!" Regina said clutching onto Emma's arm. "I want to go with you."

"Regina I don't think that's a good idea. It might be dangerous." Emma said.

"No, don't want to stay here." Regina said wrapping her arms around Emma's neck.

Emma sighed and wrapped her arms around Regina. She had a small feeling that Regina wouldn't stay with Hook. She had never seemed to like him, even as a grown up. She looked over at the ice wall and then back at Regina. Perhaps it would be okay if she took her. What could happen if she was there to protect her? She stood up and looked back at Hook. "Okay change of plan. Regina is going to come with me. I want you to stay out here. Take this." Emma said handing him her walkie talkie. "If anything happens I want you to contact my dad. press this button and talk into here." Emma said showing Hook what to do. "You got it?"

Hook nodded his head. "I think so."

"Okay." Emma then took Regina's hand and began to walk. "Come on Regina. I want you to stay close to me okay?"

"I will Emma." Regina replied.

They walked over to the ice wall and Emma looked over it, looking for some kind of opening. Her eyes soon landed on an opening and she gently pulled on Regina's hand and they climbed up a little and over to the opening. They both shivered as they entered into the ice.

"Wow." Regina gasped as she looked around. "It like an ice castle."

Emma huffed out a little laugh. Little Regina always had a way of making a situation somehow just that little bit better. "Yea it is kid." Emma replied. She then glanced over to see the young woman they had seen before. The young woman stared at them with a fearful look on her face, her hands held up in some kind of defence against them. "Hey…" Emma starts and then notices that the young woman's hand is beginning to glow white. "Whoa it's okay. We're not going to hurt you." Emma replied motioning to herself and then to Regina who was looking up at them with a sweet look on her face. "We just wanted to know who you were?"

"My name is Elsa…" The young woman said forcefully still not so sure of the blonde woman and small child, her hand was still glowing and beginning to get a little brighter as her magic pulsed through her.

"Okay Elsa, it's alright." Emma said holding up her free hand in a bit of a surrender to try and show Elsa that she did not want to hurt her. "I'm Emma." She said beginning to step forward with Regina right behind her.

"And who is that?" Elsa asked motioning down to Regina.

Emma looked down at Regina and then back up at Elsa. "This is Regina. She's my…" Emma hesitated for a moment but soon spoke up again. "She's my little sister." Elsa looked between Emma and Regina a confused look on her face but Emma wanted to change the subject quickly. "What are you doing out here? I am guessing you have something to do with all this snow? And well this wall…"

"I'm looking for someone. My sister." Elsa said glancing from Emma, down to Regina and then back up to Emma. "I can't find her. She has been lost to me for some time. Where is she?!" The last part was said more forcefully again.

"I have no idea." Emma replied. She then let go of Regina's hand but Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's leg tightly. "But if you want me to help you then you need to help me. What's her name?"

"Anna…" Elsa responded. She didn't know how this blonde woman and her sister could help her. She had no idea if she could trust them so she stayed back a little.

"Okay…well I will help you to find her…I don't know how right now but I will…but first…" Emma said but was soon interrupted as she heard Hook shouting her name. She rolled her eyes and groaned a little when she heard him. He really had no concept of good timing.

"Emma!" He shouted again.

Emma glanced up at Elsa and then back to Hook. She could see that Elsa was frightened. She didn't want anyone else near her. "No, wait stop!" Emma shouted back to Hook. She had to get him to leave them. She was sure she was gaining Elsa's trust before. "It's okay."

But Hook didn't listen and Emma glanced over to Elsa. She could see that her breathing had quickened and her hands were beginning to glow again. A wind picked up and a flurry of snow flew around them. The ground began to shake and Emma could see more ice forming in front of them blocking the entrance. Regina screamed a little and held onto Emma tighter.

"EMMA!" Hook shouted again but soon he could not be seen as the gap in the wall was filled.

Emma crouched down and she wrapped her arms onto a now scared Regina. She looked up at Elsa not sure what to do or say now. They were stuck in a huge wall of ice. This was not good. This was not part of her plan. "Okay …well that was not what I had planned." Emma said quietly.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile outside of the ice wall Hook was trying his best to dig some sort of hole through the ice with his hook but was quickly finding he was getting nowhere fast. He then remembered what Emma had told him to do if anything happened. He pulled out the device she gave him and looked it over trying to remember what button she told him to press. He saw the button pressed it and began to speak into where she had told him.<p>

"Hello…prince…" Hook said not knowing what else to call the man. He had no idea how this device worked. "Hello…"

He let go of the button and then the device started to buzz and a voice came through. "Emma?" A confused voice said.

"No not Emma. Hook." He replied.

"Hook? What the hell are you doing with Emma's walkie talkie?" David asked. It was not unusual for Emma to leave her walkie talkie lying about but usually it was Regina who would steal it to use telling everyone she wanted to pretend to be a sheriff just like Emma.

"There has been a problem lad…some ice witch has captured Emma and Regina."

"What?! Where are you?" Came the quick and panicked reply.

Hook told him where he was and David soon replied telling him that he and Mary-Margaret would be there soon.

* * *

><p>Emma stood up, Regina clutching to her leg and she looked around them trying to see if there was some way they could get out of this frozen ice cave. Sighing she saw no exit and she looked down at Regina who was shivering and had a frightened look in her eyes.<p>

"Emma I'm cold." Regina said quietly and Emma leaned down and lifted Regina up, holding her close to her so they could share their warmth.

"I know Regina. Don't worry it will be okay." Emma said. Emma then looked over to Elsa. She too could now feel the cold that was around them but it appeared that Elsa didn't. "Are you not cold? It's freezing in here."

"The cold never bothered me." Elsa shrugged.

"Yea well I prefer warmth." Emma replied. She shifted Regina a little on her hip and Regina rested her head on Emma's shoulder. Emma then tried to keep the conversation going, trying to keep herself alert, knowing it was not just herself she had to look after but Regina also. "So your sister your trying to find her…and you think she is here?"

Elsa nodded her head. "She must be. I found her necklace here." Elsa replied holding out the necklace she had found.

"Well…I-I can t-try to help you f-find her." Emma stuttered, the cold really beginning to get to her. "But p-perhaps we s-should get out of here and g-go some place warmer."

"No. I will not leave without Anna." Elsa said.

"I-if we s-stay in here w-we won't be able t-to find Anna." Emma replied. Emma watched Elsa pace up and down the cave a little. She then looked down at Regina who was still shivering in her arms. She knew that Regina wouldn't last very long here. Her small body would not take long to give into the cold.

"E-Emma I-I am c-cold." Regina stuttered out. "I-I'm tired."

Elsa turned round at hearing what Regina said and saw that Emma was now sat down with Regina on her lap. She walked over to them and crouched down. "She can't sleep. Don't let her sleep."

"W-What do I-I d-do?" Emma asked. There was a fear in her eyes.

"We need to get her to talk to us, do whatever we can to keep her awake. Sit her up a bit more." Elsa instructed.

Emma sat Regina up in her lap and they both heard a little groan from Regina. Emma still had her arms wrapped round Regina trying to warm her up. "Regina y-you must s-stay awake." Emma told her.

"S-sleepy." Regina replied trying to rest her head back on Emma's shoulder.

"I-I know R-Regina but you h-have to stay awake." Emma said.

Regina shook her head and kept trying to rest her head on Emma's shoulder. Emma pushed her up again and sat her further up on her lap. Elsa could see they were going to struggle to keep the young girl awake. She felt the guilt build up in her. This was her fault and she needed to get them out somehow but she knew that she couldn't. Elsa looked down at Regina. "You look like a princess Regina, are you?" Elsa asked.

Regina turned her head and looked at Elsa. "M-my daddy says I-I am." Regina replied. "Are y-you a p-princess?"

"I am a queen."

"My d-daddy says my m-mommy is a queen."

Elsa smiled at the young girl. "Well I will tell you something when we get out of here I will make you a wonderful crown fit perfect for a princess but you have to do something for me."

"What?" Regina asked.

"You need to stay awake. I know it will be difficult and I know you are tired but Emma and I need you to stay awake." Elsa explained. Regina nodded her head.

* * *

><p>David and Mary-Margaret were now stood outside of the ice cave beside hook. They looked up at the ice cave and they were all trying to figure out a way to get into it. Mary-Margaret sighed and began to pace up and down.<p>

"There is no way to get in there. The ice is too thick." She said the worry showing on her face.

"We will figure out a way Mary-Margaret. There is always hope." David said placing his hands on her shoulders. "We will get Regina and Emma out."

"How? Look at it. It would take far too long to try and chip into that ice and by the time we did it would probably be too late."

"They will get out everything is going to be alright. I promise you." David said and then he cupped Mary-Margaret's face in his hands and placed a soft kiss to her lips. "Trust me." He whispered and she just nodded her head.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hey! Sorry I have not updated in a little while but things have been a little hectic with Christmas coming up and everything and I have not had as much time to write as I would have liked.<strong>_

_**As you can see I have brought Elsa into the mix. The reason I have done this is mainly for a bonding thing between Regina and Emma as I felt perhaps they should have something that really bonds them. I don't think I will delve into the whole Frozen story, of Elsa and Anna finding each other etc but in my mind I will probably just have it that Anna was in the town somewhere and Emma helps Elsa to find Anna using the necklace. The reason I don't want to go to much into the Frozen story is because I want o move on a bit with the story and age Regina slightly as I have a few other plans.**_

_**Anyway I hope you enjoy this Chapter :-)**_


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